Ethical Errors in Online Research Studies
The primary ethical error in this online research study is that informed consent cannot be adequately monitored or verified in the online interview format (Option C). 1
Key Ethical Concerns in Online Health Research
Informed Consent Monitoring is the Critical Issue
The most significant ethical problem with conducting research through online interviews is the inability to properly monitor and verify the informed consent process. 1 This represents a fundamental breach of research ethics principles because:
- Only 1 out of 119 online health studies actually sought informed consent from participants, demonstrating widespread failure in this area 1
- The online format makes it impossible to verify participant identity, comprehension of risks, or voluntary participation 1
- Researchers cannot ensure participants truly understand the study implications, particularly regarding NSAID use in gastritis patients where there are significant health risks 2, 3, 4
Why Other Options Are Less Critical
Privacy concerns (Option A) exist but are secondary to consent issues. While 27.7% of online health studies contained identifying information, privacy can be technically protected through anonymization 1
Information accuracy (Option B) is a methodological concern rather than an ethical violation. While online data collection may have accuracy limitations, this doesn't constitute an ethical breach per se 1
Participant withdrawal (Option D) is typically manageable in online formats through opt-out mechanisms, as demonstrated in studies where participants could exit via email or comments 1
The Broader Context
The Journal of Medical Internet Research systematic review found that 73.9% of online health studies made no mention of ethical considerations, and only 12.6% sought IRB review 1 This widespread neglect of ethical oversight in online research underscores why informed consent monitoring is the most serious concern.
Common pitfall: Researchers often assume online platforms constitute "public space" and therefore don't require traditional consent processes, but this is ethically problematic when dealing with vulnerable populations like gastritis patients being exposed to NSAIDs 1