Final answer:
The correct option in the final answer is: d). The text indicates that doing research on the Internet particularly raises issues surrounding informed consent. This involves informing participants about the research's expectations, risks, and implications before they consent to participate, ensuring voluntary participation, and emphasizing the importance of maintaining confidentiality and privacy.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to the text provided, doing research on the Internet raises important issues relating mainly to informed consent. Informed consent is a process where research participants are informed about what to expect during an experiment, any risks involved, and the implications of the research before they agree to participate. An important aspect of informed consent is ensuring that participation is voluntary and that participants are fully aware of any risks or benefits, preserving their right to privacy and confidentiality, and respect for their autonomy.
Another key ethical principle in conducting research with human participants is beneficence, which implies a responsibility to protect participants from harm and ensure that the benefits of research outweigh the risks.
Ethical issues such as deception may arise when the integrity of the study requires misleading participants. However, if deception is used, it should not be harmful, and a thorough debriefing must be provided after the study. Debriefing helps participants understand the true nature of the study, why deception was necessary, and how the data will be used.
When considering all these ethical considerations, researchers must adhere to guidelines and regulations, such as those set by Institutional Review Boards (IRBs), to protect the rights and well-being of participants.
The correct option in the final answer is: d) Informed consent.