www.le.ac.uk

Summary of research interests

Dr Paul ReillyLecturer in Media and CommunicationDepartment of Media and CommunicationUniversity of Leicester

Overview:• YouTube, sousveillance and the Stokes Croft riot

• Ethics of social media research

• New Media and flag protests in Northern Ireland

• Key questions

Reilly (2013): YouTube, sousveillance and the ‘anti-Tesco’ riot in Stokes Croft

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Overview of study:• N=1018 comments left under four most commented-upon

videos showing eyewitness perspectives on policing of disturbances

• Study examines whether commentators perceived this footage as a form of hierarchical sousveillance

• Little rational debate about the broader issues e.g. legitimacy of No Tesco campaign and media narratives often reproduced by commenters

• Only a very small number of users perceived this footage as hierarchical sousveillance

Ethical stance for the study of the ‘Battle of Stokes Croft’ on YouTube

• There did not appear to be a public benefit in exposing these unaware participants to potential harm through the use of their ‘semi-published’ comments as published artefacts

• Maximum level of disguise possible provided to participants via the removal of usernames and direct quotes from academic publications.

• “This paper has shown the importance of empowering researchers to make informed ethical decisions that protect the right to privacy for unaware participants when it is appropriate to do so” (Reilly, 2014:13)

Ethical dilemmas associated with the study of online disability networks

• “Established protocols on dealing with ‘vulnerable groups’ provided insufficient protection for the unaware participants who had posted personal stories on the Facebook pages of UK disability rights groups […] Thus, a decision was taken to concentrate ethical reflexivity on what was said rather than who said it. Similarly, direct quotes were allowed when they did not generate risks for participants, but at the same time novel visualization techniques were also preferred when political communication scholarship required to place an emphasis on general themes over individual opinions”

(Trevisan & Reilly, 2014: 13)

Creative ways to present social media data

Reilly (forthcoming): Role of social media in union flag protests in Northern Ireland

Current Research projects:• CascEff: Modelling of dependencies and cascading effects for

emergency management in crisis situations, Seventh Framework Programme of the European Community for Research Technological Development and Demonstration Activities, European Commission (UK Work Package leader).

• YouTube, sousveillance and the policing of union flag protests in Northern Ireland, British Academy, (PI)

• Transformative Networks: Social media, Parades and Protests, Northern Ireland Community Relations Council, (PI with Orna Young)

Key questions in my research include: Research Area Questions

Northern Ireland To what extent can digital tools alter the power relations between activists and police? Or citizens and state?

How can they be harnessed to build support for the powersharing institutions?

Sousveillance What is the intention of the eyewitness when sharing this footage?

How does the audience (online and traditional) interpret this content? What criteria should we apply when assessing its success (or not)?

Key questions in my research include: Research Area Questions

Communication strategies of emergency services during crises

How can the emergency services correct misinformation and rumour?

What role should the public play?

Whose responsibility is to manage these communication flows?

Online research ethics What criteria should we use to define online environments as either private or public?

What measures, if any, should researchers take to protect the privacy of unaware participants online?

What factors should be considered in developing an ethical stance?

Selected Bibliography:• Reilly, P. (2014) The ‘Battle of Stokes Croft’ on Youtube: The development of an ethical

stance for the study of online comments., Sage Case Studies in Research Methods, published online before print, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4135/978144627305013509209

• Trevisan, F and Reilly, P. (2014) Ethical Dilemmas in Researching Social Media Campaigns on Sensitive Personal Issues: Lessons from the Study of British Disability Dissent Networks, Information, Communication & Society. published online before print, doi 10.1080/1369118X.2014.889188

• Reilly, P. (2013) Every Llttle helps? Youtube, sousveillance and the ‘anti-Tesco’ riots in Bristol, New Media and Society. published online before print, doi: 10.1177/1461444813512195.

• Reilly, P. (2012) Community worker perspectives on the use of new media to promote conflict transformation in Belfast. Urban Studies, 49:15, pp.3385-3401

• Reilly, P (2011) The Troubles Online: Northern Irish political groups and website strategy (Manchester: Manchester University Press)