Accepted for/Published in: Journal of Medical Internet Research
Date Submitted: May 29, 2025
Date Accepted: Aug 7, 2025
Social Media in the Human Subjects Research Setting: Ethical Considerations
ABSTRACT
The integration of social media into human subjects research offers significant opportunities for data collection, disease surveillance, and participant recruitment. However, it also poses a number of ethical challenges. This article evaluates the dual nature of social media as a research tool, highlighting its potential benefits while also addressing concerns about exacerbating health disparities, compromising participant privacy and confidentiality, and perpetuating discriminatory practices. By exploring issues related to equity and privacy, this article discusses the implications of digital recruitment and online behavioral advertising, underscoring the vital role of Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) in ensuring ethical standards are upheld. Furthermore, this work proposes key strategies for researchers and regulatory authorities, emphasizing community engagement and inclusive recruitment practices. The analysis aims to guide stakeholders in navigating the ethical complexities of digital research, fostering transparency, trust, and accountability in the realm of human subjects research.
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Copyright
© The authors. All rights reserved. This is a privileged document currently under peer-review/community review (or an accepted/rejected manuscript). Authors have provided JMIR Publications with an exclusive license to publish this preprint on it's website for review and ahead-of-print citation purposes only. While the final peer-reviewed paper may be licensed under a cc-by license on publication, at this stage authors and publisher expressively prohibit redistribution of this draft paper other than for review purposes.