ABSTRACT
The term ‘online ethnography’ is used to describe the use of ethnographic tools, techniques, methods and insight to collect and analyse data from online sources. Ethnography is the investigation into, and systematic recording of, human cultures and human societies. In online ethnography behaviour within the online group or community is observed and recorded, with careful distinction made between scientific perceptions of reality and the perceptions of the online community being investigated. The world is observed from the point of view of research participants rather than the ethnographer and stories are told through the eyes of the online community as they go about their online activities. Causal explanations are avoided. Online ethnographers focus on various aspects of online behaviour and activity.
