Research Participant Information and Consent Form

What is this research about?

We are conducting research to better understand how people form and maintain communities online, particularly focusing on the experiences of diverse communities including immigrants, parents, and young professionals. This research emerged from our work with diaspora communities and aims to explore broader patterns of digital social connection.

Research Purpose: To understand current gaps in digital community platforms and identify what features and approaches would better serve people’s needs for authentic social connection.

What will participation involve?

If you agree to participate, you may be asked to:

Complete an online survey (15-20 minutes)
Participate in a follow-up interview or focus group (45-60 minutes) – optional
Allow us to analyse your anonymous responses alongside others

You will NOT be asked to:

Provide access to your social media accounts
Share personal passwords or login information
Provide information about others without their consent

What information will we collect?

Survey Data:

Demographic information: Age range, general location (city/region), ethnicity, employment status, family situation
Social media usage: Which platforms you use, how often, and your general satisfaction
Community preferences: What types of online communities you prefer and why
Wellbeing measures: Standard questionnaires about social connection and digital wellbeing

Interview/Focus Group Data (if you choose to participate):

Audio recordings of discussions (with your explicit consent)
Anonymous notes about themes and insights from conversations
No identifying information will be recorded alongside your responses

What we will NOT collect:

Your full name, address, or specific contact details (beyond what’s needed for follow-up)
Screenshots or content from your personal social media accounts
Information about your income, specific employer, or detailed personal circumstances
Any sensitive personal data without explicit additional consent

How will your data be protected?

Data Security:

All data stored on encrypted, password-protected systems
Only authorised research team members will have access
Survey responses immediately separated from any identifying information
Interview recordings stored separately from participant names
Data transmission uses secure, encrypted connections

Anonymisation:

Your survey responses will be assigned a random ID number
No names or identifying details included in analysis or reporting
Quotes used in reports will be fully anonymised
Geographic information generalised (e.g., “London area” rather than specific postcodes)
Demographic details combined with others to prevent identification

Data Retention:

Survey data: Retained for 24 months for analysis and potential follow-up research
Interview recordings: Deleted within 12 months after transcription
Anonymised analysis data: May be retained longer for academic publication
Contact information: Deleted immediately after research completion unless you opt in to hear about results

Your rights under GDPR

As a research participant, you have the right to:

Access: Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you

Rectification: Ask us to correct any inaccurate or incomplete data

Erasure: Request deletion of your data at any time before analysis begins

Portability: Receive your data in a standard format to transfer elsewhere

Objection: Object to processing of your data for specific purposes

Withdrawal: Withdraw from the research at any time without explanation

To exercise these rights, please reach out to us via channel in which you received.

Legal basis for processing

Under GDPR, our legal basis for processing your data is:

Article 6(1)(a) – Consent: You are giving explicit consent for us to process your data for this research

Article 9(2)(a) – Special category data: Where demographic or wellbeing data might be considered sensitive, we rely on your explicit consent

How will the research be used?

Research Outputs:

Academic publication in peer-reviewed journals
Industry reports shared with community organisations and platform developers
Conference presentations at academic and industry events
Policy recommendations to improve digital community wellbeing

Commercial Considerations:

This research is independently funded by Dami Adeniran and Brendan Njoku which has an interest in community platform development
Research findings may inform future product development
However: Your individual data will never be used for marketing or commercial targeting
All research outputs will maintain participant anonymity

Voluntary participation

Your participation is entirely voluntary.

You may skip any questions you’re uncomfortable answering
You can withdraw at any time during the survey or interview
You can request deletion of your data up until analysis begins
There are no penalties for non-participation or withdrawal
You will receive a £[X] gift voucher as thanks for survey completion

Data sharing and international transfers

Within our research team: Data shared only with authorised researchers who have signed confidentiality agreements

With third parties: Anonymised, aggregated data may be shared with:

Academic collaborators for peer review
Community organisations for insights (with no individual data)
Platform developers for industry research (fully anonymised)

International transfers: Data processed within the UK/EU. Any international sharing limited to anonymised, aggregated insights only.

Complaints and concerns

If you have concerns about this research or how your data is handled, please reach out to us via channel in which you received.

Consent Declaration

By proceeding with this survey, you confirm that you:

Have read and understood this information about the research
Understand that your participation is voluntary and you can withdraw at any time
Agree to the collection and processing of your data as described above
Understand your rights under GDPR and how to exercise them
Consent to participate in this research study

Optional additional consents:

I agree to be contacted about participating in a follow-up interview or focus group
I would like to receive a summary of research findings when complete
I consent to audio recording if I participate in an interview/focus group

Thank you for considering participation in this research. Your insights will help us better understand how digital communities can serve people’s authentic connection needs.

This consent form complies with GDPR requirements and UK data protection legislation. Last updated: October 2024