Navigating ethical challenges in online wildlife trade research

Journal article


Morcatty, Thais Q., Su, Shan, Siriwat, Penthai, Andersson, Astrid A., Atoussi, Sadek, Feddema, Kim, Henriques, Sergio, Janssen, Jordi, Karve, Anushri, Pytka, Jennifer, Thompson, Ruth M., Nijman, Vincent, Wright, Joss and Roberts, David L. 2024. Navigating ethical challenges in online wildlife trade research. Conservation Biology. 38 (5), p. e14341. https://doi.org/10.1111/cobi.14341
AuthorsMorcatty, Thais Q., Su, Shan, Siriwat, Penthai, Andersson, Astrid A., Atoussi, Sadek, Feddema, Kim, Henriques, Sergio, Janssen, Jordi, Karve, Anushri, Pytka, Jennifer, Thompson, Ruth M., Nijman, Vincent, Wright, Joss and Roberts, David L.
Abstract

The surge in internet accessibility has transformed wildlife trade by facilitating the acquisition of wildlife through online platforms. This scenario presents unique ethical challenges for researchers, as traditional ethical frameworks for in-person research cannot be readily applied to the online realm. Currently, there is a lack of clearly defined guidelines for appropriate ethical procedures when conducting online wildlife trade (OWT) research. In response to this, we consulted the scientific literature on ethical considerations in online research and examined existing guidelines established by professional societies and ethical boards. Based on these documents, we present a set of recommendations that can inform the development of ethically responsible OWT research. Key ethical challenges in designing and executing OWT research include the violation of privacy rights, defining subjects and illegality, and the risk of misinterpretation or posing risks to participants when sharing data. Potential solutions include considering participants’ expectations of privacy, defining when participants are authors versus subjects, understanding the legal and cultural context, minimizing data collection, ensuring anonymization, and removing metadata. Best practices also involve being culturally sensitive when analyzing and reporting findings. Adhering to these guidelines can help mitigate potential pitfalls and provides valuable insights to editors, researchers, and ethical review boards, enabling them to conduct scientifically rigorous and ethically responsible OWT research to advance this growing field.

KeywordsE-commerce; Ethics; Informed consent; Internet; IWT; Privacy; Social media; Wildlife trafficking
Year2024
JournalConservation Biology
Journal citation38 (5), p. e14341
PublisherWiley
ISSN0888-8892
1523-1739
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1111/cobi.14341
Official URLhttps://conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/cobi.14341
Publication dates
Print09 Sep 2024
Publication process dates
Accepted21 Nov 2023
Deposited11 Sep 2024
Publisher's version
License
File Access Level
Open
Output statusPublished
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https://repository.canterbury.ac.uk/item/98z28/navigating-ethical-challenges-in-online-wildlife-trade-research

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