Re:see what you're missing in academia... (Score 3, Informative)

The fact that he is possibly targeting minors, creating risk to them through emotional trauma, and making academic claims about the information he is gathering on online subjects definitely means he should have IRB approval. Any reasonable academic would state that, especially given the risque nature of the study. In fact, given my experience with the IRB, I doubt he would even get approval. It really saddens me that so many graduate students spend their time following the rules just to watch misguided faculty members ignore them. I like the message this sends. Below is a link to their own policy for online research. It does not deviate much from the policies I have seen at the multiple institutions I have attended. To the best of my reading, his research is in flagrant violation of the policies. http://www.luc.edu/ors/irbonlinesurveys2.shtml