Case study
Abstract
For her dissertation research on Facebook Group moderation, Dr. Gibson was attempting to conduct digital ethnography. However, the moderation practices she hoped to observe were difficult to encounter spontaneously, as the Facebook Group infrastructure—like most social media—obscures moderation work from typical users. To observe moderation in practice, therefore, she used screen-sharing software like Zoom to watch participants “over the shoulder” as they worked. To respect the privacy of Group members, she avoided using the software to record the screen and took detailed field notes of the observation sessions instead.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Focus Groups and Qualitative Methods
Qualitative Research Methods and Ethics
Media and Digital Communication
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Routledge eBooks
- Pages
- 208–213
- Publication date
- 30 January 2026
- Language
- EN
- Document type
- Book chapter