Attitudes and Knowledge of Adolescents in Jordan Regarding the Ethics of Social Media Data Use for Research Purposes

Abstract

This study assessed the awareness and attitudes of adolescents in Jordan concerning the ethics of using their social media data for scientific studies. Using an online survey, 393 adolescents were recruited (mean age: 17.2 years ± 1.8). The results showed that 88% of participants were using their real personal information on social media sites, with males more likely to provide their information than females. More than two thirds of participants (72.5%) were aware that researchers may use their data for research purposes, with the majority believing that informed consent must be obtained from both the adolescents and their parents. However, more than three quarters of those surveyed (76%) did not trust the results of research that depended on collecting data from social media. These findings suggest that adolescents in Jordan understood most of the ethical aspects related to the utilization of their data from social media websites for research studies.