Clay Spinuzzi has a thoughtful and provocative posting about the possibilities of those who are researched presenting their own version of events using mobile technologies.
He notes:
Right now IRBs assume the traditional asymmetrical relationship between researcher and participants, and thus they layer on protections for participants, the vulnerable side of the equation. As participants start treating researchers like journalists, IRBs will have to deal with this "terrifying nightmare" by developing reciprocal protections. And researchers will have to start dealing with issues such as multiplicity and representation in earnest.
Perhaps the power differential between researchers and those who participate (either knowingly or unknowingly) is shifting. It's going to be intriguing to see how this evolves and how IRBs respond.
