ABSTRACT
In the wake of Cambridge Analytica and the new GDPR legislation in the EU, it is clearer than ever that privacy and identity are two central challenges in our ever-more digital lives. Digital technologies have been changing so quickly that even experienced researchers are not always sure how they can best practice effective and ethical research online. In this chapter, I will provide concrete advice that researchers at all levels can use to design ethical methods for research in digital spaces, from data scraping to online ethnography. I will begin by briefly reviewing the history of ethical clearance in the United States and EU. I will then discuss the current case-based and flexible approach to ethics, introducing key figures in the debate. Next, I will briefly discuss how this theoretical background has continued to inform my own work with online fanfiction writers. Finally, based upon my own experience, and the work of key scholars, I will lay out sets of questions that researchers can consider as they design approaches to text collection, observation, consent, data protection, and reporting on their findings. Ultimately, my goal is to help researchers approach ethics as an ongoing process.
