Paper short abstract:

The negative perception of conspiracy theories moves them into a sensitive research area. The Internet offers an alternative research field in which a lot of quality research data can be obtained. However, their collection raises several ethical questions.

Paper long abstract:

Conspiracy theories evoke negative connotations in society. Being labeled a conspiracy theorist can mean discredit in social discourse. The period of the pandemic crisis didn´t benefit their social reputation either. Defenders of conspiracy theories have become targets of various pejorative stickers. For example, the well-known term “desolate” was created in Slovakia. Investigating conspiracy theories in an atmosphere of the global crisis is, for scientists, a sensitive field with possible obstacles. I would like to outline my dilemmas in my dissertation research. These ethical dilemmas result from the negative perception of conspiracy theorists, and also from limitations in the application of digital ethnography. I focus on the problem of refusing compulsory vaccination of children. Refusal of compulsory vaccination is a decision and action in violation of the law, which carries social and economic risks. For this reason, it´s understandable that people resort to private groups providing a comfort zone and safety. However, the private group’s status can prevent the researcher from accessing data that could be crucial for mapping the issue. How to deal with ethical dilemmas and get answers to research questions? How to investigate conspiracy theories on the Internet following a code of ethics that doesn´t elaborate on the specifics of the online space? And how to gain the trust of the respondents under the influence of social perception in the post-pandemic atmosphere, in which even a scientist can represent untrustworthy authority? This post doesn't provide answers but foregrounds the questions I face in my research, offline and online.