Ethics

Almost two weeks down the road of the observations at The Newspaper I can say I am sure I did the right choice of not introducing myself as a journalist.

Today I watched, for the second time, a sub-editor doing his job. He let me seat behind his chair and literally look over his shoulder for about 2 hours. At one point he asked me what were the notes I was taking and I showed him my notebook and explained a few pages, and what are the things I am interested in.

After that he opened up and explained me another universe of things he does when editing. Now, imagine if I had introduced myself as "hi, I have some experience in this field and I would like to watch your work".

The ethics of the situation has been pinching my brain, and my concern of not being entirely true or trustworthy to the participants led me to an almost paralisis. However, my mind came to peace when I concluded a couple of things:

- One, I am not lying, because nobody asked me if I am a journalist yet. And if they do ask I will tell them what I have done in the past. In fact, the ones who asked me if I had been in a newsroom before I said that yes, I had, but not as a journalist, and that is true.

- Two: I am not a journalist. I am a researcher and I am looking at their work from the perspective of Human Computer Interaction.

Apart from that I am doing all I can to respect the participants, protect their identities, member check and be accurate and clear about my work and my interest. Consent forms are filled in and signed, rules are explained before interviews... and, of course, I still walk around with my badge...

There is a really fine line between being ethic and not in an ethnographic study. I wonder how the researchers from the Chicago School dealt with with when doing their 10 years long studies, how did they hide their other lives, how did they live through it and how they remained ethical.

I wonder if I should talk to them at after the research is done.