Ethical issues in image-based research

This paper provides an overview of current ethical concerns in image-based research. It considers the influence of institutional structures such as regulatory frameworks, professional guidelines and institutional review boards before focusing on issues of data collection and dissemination. The paper discusses informed consent, anonymity and confidentiality, specifically in relation to how they may differ in image-based compared to word-based research. It is suggested that a situated approach to image-based ethics is better able to take account of the concrete, everyday situations within which ethics are negotiated between researchers and research participants.