Reference Hub1
Automated Data Extraction from Online Social Network Profiles: Unique Ethical Challenges for Researchers

Automated Data Extraction from Online Social Network Profiles: Unique Ethical Challenges for Researchers

Sophia Alim
Copyright: © 2013 |Volume: 5 |Issue: 4 |Pages: 19
ISSN: 1942-9010|EISSN: 1942-9029|EISBN13: 9781466634794|DOI: 10.4018/ijvcsn.2013100102
Cite Article Cite Article

MLA

Alim, Sophia. "Automated Data Extraction from Online Social Network Profiles: Unique Ethical Challenges for Researchers." IJVCSN vol.5, no.4 2013: pp.24-42. http://doi.org/10.4018/ijvcsn.2013100102

APA

Alim, S. (2013). Automated Data Extraction from Online Social Network Profiles: Unique Ethical Challenges for Researchers. International Journal of Virtual Communities and Social Networking (IJVCSN), 5(4), 24-42. http://doi.org/10.4018/ijvcsn.2013100102

Chicago

Alim, Sophia. "Automated Data Extraction from Online Social Network Profiles: Unique Ethical Challenges for Researchers," International Journal of Virtual Communities and Social Networking (IJVCSN) 5, no.4: 24-42. http://doi.org/10.4018/ijvcsn.2013100102

Export Reference

Mendeley
Favorite Full-Issue Download

Abstract

As the use of online social networking (OSN) sites is increasing, data extraction from OSN profiles is providing researchers with a rich source of data. Data extraction is divided into non-automated and automated approaches. However, researchers face a variety of ethical challenges especially using automated data extraction approaches. In social networking, there has been a lack of research that looks into the unique ethical challenges of using automated data extraction compared to non-automated extraction. This article explores the history of social research ethics and the unique ethical challenges associated with using automated data extraction, as well as how these impact the researcher. The author's review has highlighted that researchers face challenges when designing an experiment involving automated extraction from OSN profiles due to issues such as extraction methods, the speed at which the field of social media is moving and a lack of information on how to deal with ethical challenges.

Request Access

You do not own this content. Please login to recommend this title to your institution's librarian or purchase it from the IGI Global bookstore.