What are researchers doing when they use a social networking site like Facebook to obtain data?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Researchers are using existing sources of data by accessing and analyzing the information that is publicly available on social networking sites like Facebook. However, they must still follow ethical guidelines and obtain informed consent from participants if they are collecting personal information. While Facebook can be used for qualitative research or to gather interview data, the question specifically refers to obtaining data from the website as a source.

What Are Researchers Doing When They Use a Social Networking