ABSTRACT
This paper addresses the limitations and opportunities that the COVID-19 pandemic has meant for the development of one of the fundamental research techniques in qualitative methodology: the focus group. Four focus groups conducted online, within the framework of a broader investigation on the impact of the pandemic on families with children at risk of or in a situation of social exclusion in the Region of Murcia (Spain), allow us to reflect on the translation of this technique to the virtual scenario and its impact on the development of the practice and the results obtained. Our work suggests that the advantages offered by the use of computer applications in conducting focus groups, mainly in terms of saving resources and time, may explain their use once the restrictions established in response to the pandemic have been overcome. However, the unequal access to technology by the population, or the difficulties in constructing a correct space for interaction and joint construction of discourse virtually, require the constant critical vigilance of the researcher regarding the relevance of virtuality, as well as the possible methodological and ethical setbacks that may arise during its development.
