Looking, But Not Listening? Theorizing the Practice and Ethics of Online Ethnography. (February 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Winter, Rachel; Lavis, Anna
• Is Part Of: Journal of empirical research on human research ethics. Volume 15:Number 1/2(2020)
• Page Start: 55
• Page End: 62
• Publication Date: 2020-02
• Subjects: digital culture -- ethical practice -- ethnography -- self-harm -- social media; Medical ethics -- Research -- Periodicals; Research -- Moral and ethical aspects -- Periodicals; 174.205
• DOI: 10.1177/1556264619857529
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1556-2646

Abstract

There are debates across disciplines regarding how to research and represent digital cultures ethically. Against this background, there is a need to reflect on the practice and ethics of online ethnography. Ambiguities surrounding researcher "participation" online have led this to be equated largely with observation. This has deprivileged the act of listening in both research practice and the methodological and ethical debates that underpin this. Utilizing ethnographic research into self-harm and social media as a critical lens, this article advocates for listening as a mode of participating in, as well as observing, online spaces. In proposing "active listening" and "adaptive listening" to explore the polyphonic and heterogeneous nature of social media, we argue that listening is key to representing online spaces in all their cultural diversity and emotional complexity. Reflecting on listening is necessary to forging a practical ethics of online ethnography, and is relevant to digital research more widely.