title: Case study: An ethics case study of HIV prevention research on Facebook: the Just/Us study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To consider issues related to research with youth on social networking sites online.
  
  
  METHODS
  Description of the data collection process from 1,588 participants in a randomized controlled trial testing the efficacy of HIV prevention education delivered on Facebook. Using respondent-driven sampling, staff-recruited participants are encouraged to recruit up to three friends to enroll in the study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Researchers should (a) consider whether an online social networking site is an appropriate place to implement a research study; (b) offer opportunities to review informed consent documents at multiple times and in multiple locations throughout the study; and (c) collect data outside the social networking site and store it behind secure firewalls to ensure it will not be accessible to any person on the social networking site.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Online social networks are growing in popularity. Conducting research on social media sites requires deliberate attention to consent, confidentiality, and security.
authors.affiliation: MPH, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Denver, 13001 East 17th Place, Building 500, Campus Box B-119, Aurora, CO 80045, USA. sheana.bull@ucdenver.edu
authors.forename: Sheana S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Bull
authors.forename: Lindsey T
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Breslin
authors.forename: Erin E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Wright
authors.forename: Sandra R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Black
authors.forename: Deborah
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Levine
authors.forename: John S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Santelli
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D057218:Blogging; D003219:Confidentiality / Q000941:ethics*; D003625:Data Collection / Q000941:ethics*; D032984:Ethics, Research; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D060756:Social Networking