Author: Alan Santinele Martino, Assistant Professor, Community Rehabilitation and Disability Studies, University of Calgary

The rise of digital platforms has transformed the way researchers recruit participants. “Platforms” means not only social media channels such as X, Facebook and Instagram, but also specialized participant-recruitment websites. During the COVID-19 pandemic, online recruitment and data collection became a vital method for researchers to maintain a safe distance and protect both participants and their own health. The shift also enabled participation in research from virtually anywhere. Online methods have proven both efficient and cost-effective, by eliminating travel expenses, reducing logistical overhead and allowing researchers to reach larger participant pools more swiftly. However, a new problem has emerged: imposter…