Social Media Research and the Methodological Problem of Harassment: Foregrounding Researcher Safety

Computers and Composition Mar 2021 Open Access

Social Media Research and the Methodological Problem of Harassment: Foregrounding Researcher Safety

Bridget Gelms San Francisco State University

Abstract

As interest in online harassment rises in writing studies, so too does the need for new methodologies that account for the unique challenges that online harassment poses to social media researchers. Drawing from a research experience that left her vulnerable to harassment, the author presents three methodological concerns that harassment gives rise to: researcher safety, trauma and emotional fatigue, and publishing on online harassment. Throughout, the author provides actions social media researchers can take to prepare for potential harassment experiences during a research process. Ultimately, the author argues that researcher safety is a necessary prerequisite to other research concerns, such as participant and data safety, and should thus be foregrounded in research designs.

Journal: Computers and Composition
Published: 2021-03-01
DOI: 10.1016/j.compcom.2021.102626
Open Access: OA PDF Hybrid
Topics: social media

Citation Context

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