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Ethics and Privacy in Social Media Research for Mental Health

  • Psychiatry in the Digital Age (J Shore, Section Editor)
  • Published:
Current Psychiatry Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose of Review

This review provides an overview of recent research which uses social media data in the context of mental health. It also provides an overview of challenges in relation to consent, privacy, and usage of such data.

Recent Findings

A broad range of research has been conducted in recent years, using text-based and visual data from social media platforms, for purposes such as risk detection at the individual level, providing crisis outreach, and developing a better understanding of the lived experience of mental ill-health.

Summary

Challenges remain in relation to obtaining truly informed consent for research using social media data—however platforms allowing data donation may address these concerns. There is an imperative need to ensure that privacy is preserved at all stages of the research process, from data collection, to analysis, and the responsible use of raw data in publications.

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References

Papers of particular interest, published recently, have been highlighted as: • Of importance •• Of major importance

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Orygen, Parkville, Victoria, Australia

    Jennifer Nicholas

  2. Centre for Youth Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia

    Jennifer Nicholas

  3. Black Dog Institute, University of New South Wales, Hospital Road, Randwick, NSW, 2031, Australia

    Sandersan Onie & Mark E. Larsen

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  1. Jennifer Nicholas
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  3. Mark E. Larsen
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Correspondence to Mark E. Larsen.

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The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

Human and Animal Rights and Informed Consent

All reported studies/experiments with human or animal subjects performed by the authors have been previously published and complied with all applicable ethical standards (including the Helsinki declaration and its amendments, institutional/national research committee standards, and international/national/institutional guidelines).

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Psychiatry in the Digital Age

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Nicholas, J., Onie, S. & Larsen, M.E. Ethics and Privacy in Social Media Research for Mental Health. Curr Psychiatry Rep 22, 84 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11920-020-01205-9

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