Investment into violent extremist groups has a multitude of ethical issues not only for the participants, but also for the researchers themselves. It is important for researchers and well as participants to become aware of the potential risk factors involved with the study; this can aid in a more accurate understanding about the topic. The following segments will touch upon the ethical issues that both the participants and researchers can be exposed to.
Free and Informed Consent
In the case study regarding the radicalization of Colleen LaRose, the author provides background information on LaRose; and how the use of the media was not the only driving force for her radicalization. The author explains how the sexual abuse from Colleen LaRose's father is a strong factor in her radicalization alongside…show more content… In the form of media being an influence, and in this particular case, the Internet. There is the potential risk for authors to become radicalized themselves; this due to the countless hours that researchers spend observing the propaganda that is displayed on the various extremist media tools (Reynolds, 2012, p. 503). Martin Rudner observed these countless materials in his own study, such as "How to Use Asrar al-Mujahideen: Sending and receiving Encrypted Messages by Terrorist" or "Open Source Jihad with instructions on How to Make a Bomb in the Kitchen of your Mom" (2017, p. 16). These similar issues are found in another study conducted by Joshua Hedges, where the researcher analyzed numerous materials with propaganda depictions; such as "www.al-farok.com" which illustrates what the Al Qaeda organization is about (2008, p. 81). Therefore, if one becomes influenced by the data analyzed, it can alter how the overall study is
