SMERF: Social Media, Ethics and Risk Framework

Risk assessment is often considered where there is a potential danger involved in undertaking student projects. However, all too often this risk is associated with a physical environment and satisfying current legislation, it does not cover vulnerabilities undergraduates and postgraduates may be exposed to by completing and using Social Media in research. The risks of undertaking projects in Social Media and their impacts on society are identified and discussed, and are related to current counter-terrorism strategies to Acceptable Use Policies. This is followed by a proposed integrated Social Media, Ethics and Risk Framework (SMERF) to mitigate any risks and vulnerabilities to both the individual and organisation. Finally, a Quality Assurance and Risk Assessment life-cycle is proposed and recommendations are for SMERF to be reviewed annually and updated appropriately. This proposed framework aims to keep students engaged in up to date research whilst mitigating any vulnerabilities they may be exposed to.