Consent must be understandable and voluntary
Participants should know what is collected, why, how it may be used, what is optional, whether withdrawal is possible, and what limits exist. Consent should not be hidden inside a general project relationship.
Collect less
Research curiosity is not a reason to collect every personal detail. Use the minimum data needed for the defined question. Sensitive personal/client, health-like, family, recovery or legal material needs stronger controls.
Approval claims need approval evidence
Do not convert a planned ethics/IRB milestone, draft protocol or internal review into 'ethics approved'. If approval exists, record the approving authority, document, date and scope.
Publication should minimize exposure
Research evidence can remain valid internally without publishing identifiable participant data. Public reporting should disclose only what is needed for the claim, method and limitations.
Reflection
Questions to sit with
- What is the minimum data required?
- Can the participant understand and withdraw?
- Which approval wording is directly supported by primary evidence?