Ethical Considerations for Research Involving Adolescent Social Media Usage

Jamie Zelazny, PhD, MPH, RN
Postdoctoral Scholar
Department of Psychiatry

Abstract: Social media provides a window into the mental health of adolescents. Interpersonal relationships, bullying, and social connectedness are just a few examples of behaviors that can be explored on social media. Natural language processing and machine learning techniques are now being used evaluate social media posts by identifying words associated with suicidal risk. However, many ethical issues must be considered before undertaking this type of research. Using a case study approach, this talk illustrated current ethical issues in research of adolescent social media usage and suggested potential protections against risk.