Report: Focus Group Discussion on Instagram's Privacy Settings

This report details a student's focus group discussion on the impact of Instagram's privacy settings, specifically the feature of hiding likes, on user behavior. The research involved a focus group of four participants (two male and two female) to explore their experiences and perceptions of Instagram. The study employed a qualitative approach, focusing on ethical considerations such as informed consent and participant autonomy. The report outlines the research methodology, including the use of open-ended and closed-ended questions, and discusses the challenges and benefits encountered during the focus group. The findings highlight the positive impact of privacy settings, as announced by Instagram's CEO, and analyze the ethical principles adhered to throughout the research process. The report also includes a literature review of focus group methodologies and ethical considerations, and concludes with suggestions for improvements in future focus group studies. The student faced challenges such as debates and conflicts during the focus group discussion. The report contributes to understanding social media's impact and user perspectives on privacy.

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STUDENT NAME:
STUDENT ID:
TOPIC: AUDIENCES AND MASS COMMUNICATION
DATE:

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Introduction
A focus group discussion about the research topic, use of Instagram and its settings will be
conducted with 4 respondents, two male and two female. Ethical issues and principles will be
considered while leading a focus group discussion. The discussion was related to using
Instagram; hours spend on Instagram, content posted on Instagram, etc. With the help of focus
group discussion, results of the debate revealed the positive impact of the Instagram channel due
to the privacy settings that CEO Adam Mosseri announced in November 2019 (Malaea 2019).
The Instagram channel will hide the likes for the US audience and will ensure the safest place on
the internet. While conducting Focus Group discussion, there were processes and challenges that
I have faced. The essay will reflect the ethical issues, principles and the evaluation of the
process. The essay consists of what went well and wrong in the group and will reveal the value
of the focus group and challenges. For future focus group, there are several improvements that I
will take care of in the future. I worked on ethical principles to achieve high-quality research.
The laws of ethical research practices are respect for dignity, personal integrity, valuing
diversity, leadership, honesty, openness, accountability and transparent management practices.
Background
With the use of social media platforms, there are several problems that people face while
spending time on Instagram. Social media platforms are not safe enough. Therefore the founders
must work on individual privacy settings such as hiding the likes from the post. Hiding likes
from Instagram is now applicable and is appreciated by people as it ensures safe practices
(Constine 2019). Decisions are made that will hurt the business but are suitable for people’s
well-being and health. Instagram will hide likes for individual users in the US audience.
Research methodology
Focus group discussion
Focus group discussion revealed the primary topic of Instagram settings changed by the CEO of
Instagram. Adam Mosseri announced that the channel would hide likes for US audiences (Peters
2019).

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Conducting the focus group discussion, all the participants in the group were supportive and
were interested in analyzing the final results (Omar 2018). I felt that the interest of participants
led to useful analysis. Support of participant while providing the result engaged me in gaining
knowledge and analyzing the impact of Instagram settings changed by the CEO for hiding likes
from the post. The exercise was useful as I handled it expertly. I asked each participant to present
their point of view while questioning open-ended questions and close-ended questions.
Coordination is observed, and teamwork went well to complete the exercise. Focus group is a
qualitative approach that helps to gain in-depth analysis of a particular social issue.
Literature review
Focus group method is useful as it helps to obtain data from the selected group and ensure a
representative statistical result. The screening process results in a significant decision that seems
to be productive and engages participants to voluntarily participate in the research. This method
is commonly used as a standalone technique and has benefited me to focus on the critical
questions that I have asked participants in the best manner. The number of participants in the
group was four, and the session lasted for 60 minutes. Participants were engaged in discussion
with the social media issue. Instagram settings were the research topic that was discussed on.
The method helped me to report to the sample size and the discussion over the social media
safety and practices was conducted. Team-building techniques are observed while the time
spends on Instagram was determined in the results. Focus group discussion is widely used in
terms of conservative technology in research analysis (Hennink 2014). The method is
widespread, and it helped me to gain results in terms of social science issue and perceived a cost-
effective way. However, it is a promising alternative and is a cost-effective technique (Plummer
2017). The method has grown widely and has a wide range of principles and disciplines.
Focus group discussion was seen as the interview method. There are some similarities between
the interview and focus group discussion. The analogy is about uncovering people’s values and
perceptions. Therefore the process was effective in terms of providing results for research topic
about hiding likes from Instagram posts for the US audience.
I have conducted the focus group discussion to find out the real issues that people are facing
while connecting on social media. In the focus group discussion, we discussed several questions

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such as the reasons of using Instagram; hours spend on Instagram, kind of content posted on
Instagram, an example of a post, case of the job that liked, opinion of what type of post will
attract public, etc. Other questions such as influencers who follow, Instagram lacking some
privacy settings items, the account is private, or public settings and the reason for hiding likes on
Instagram. These are relevant questions that the focus group discussion participants are asked. I
managed the overall activity efficiently as I have considered several aspects that were important
to be discussed.
Furthermore, it is extensive testing that the CEO considers in terms of responding to a less
pressured environment. The hidden like counts testing will be regarded as in Brazil, Australia,
New Zealand, Japan, Italy, Canada and Ireland as such hiding likes will have a significant impact
on the business and will ensure other social media platforms to perform the same. Facebook is
even considering testing on hiding likes. It is for the people who will be able to connect with the
loved ones and will feel safe.
Ethical issues
Ethical considerations that adhere to the research are pertinent to qualitative research. The
interview method was adopted in the study while participants were engaged in the research
consideration. Participants provided information that leads to the personal aspect of using the
social media platform. The ethical elements that I adhered to are non-maleficence, beneficence,
justice and autonomy. Focus group discussion was conducted while focusing on moral aspects
for participants to be treated with fairness, self-determination and beneficence (Krueger & Casey
2009). Data is protected as and when it is analyzed with compliance terms and conditions that
are specified in the Data Protection Act 1998. As per the data protection act, the personal data
was processed with the terms of the Data Protection Act 1998.
Right to withdraw is another such element in ethical considerations that recognizes the right of a
participant to withdraw from the research. Participants can withdraw any time, or for any reason,
the withdrawal procedure is accepted. Right to remove is an element of ethical consideration
which encourages research participants to participate in the research criteria (Laws 2013).
Children and vulnerable people in research do not apply to the study. Participants must be above
18 to participate in the survey, and aged people should not be considered in a research exercise.

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Those people who are aged, have vulnerable circumstances or who have limited understanding of
the research should not be selected as participants for a research exercise.
Fair process notice is one such element of ethical considerations when conducting research.
Reasonable process notice is something important for participants and research exercise (Flyn,
Albrecht & Scott 2018). Informal language can be used while researching as it deals with
keeping the interviews short and sweet. Participants are interested when fair process notice is
considered (Morgan 2012). Research exercise is introduced in a relaxed manner which ensures
the importance of focus group discussion. All participants should willingly perform and should
find fair information regarding the interview question. These are the basis of ethical
considerations when conducting a research exercise. Voluntary informed consent is another
ethical consideration that includes three main elements to ensure approval.
Three factors that are considered are adequate information, voluntary participation and
competence. Sufficient information should be provided to participants to make informed
decisions which ensure participants to participate in the research activity. Voluntariness in
attendance should be considered as it ensures that a participant is willing to participate in the
research. I have found this criterion in my study and have ensured effective research exercise.
Openness and disclosure consider the research topic that needs to be discussed with participants.
Relevant information on the research topic and study of research context should be done
adequately while performing a research exercise. Avoiding manipulating information will lead to
useful research exercise (Kite & Phongsavan 2017). False promises or bribery should be avoided
in the research as it may lead to inappropriate research exercise. Voluntary informed consent,
openness and disclosure are the research ethics that I have followed in my research exercise
regarding Instagram settings of hiding likes of US audiences. I have conducted a focus group
discussion and have adhered research ethics.
I have followed principles of good research practice such as respect for rights, dignity, well-
being and safety in the research. I have achieved a high-quality research culture while adhering
to the research considerations and research ethics in conducting a research exercise (Wibeck
2019). I have valued diversity in society while I have an open system approach in selecting
participants for the research exercise of focus group discussions. It is even essential to focus on

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personal and scientific integrity to conduct the research and sufficiently focused on considering
personal honesty and scientific integrity in research practice (Gerritsen 2011). I have been a good
leader while managing the focus group discussion and analyzing the research results. I have
prepared sixteen questions relating to the research topic of using Instagram and its safety.
Participants have provided me adequate information regarding the use of Instagram, kind of
content they post, posts that trigger a negative feeling, viewing content on Instagram, an example
of a job that they would like to see, influencers on Instagram and privacy of account. The
information reveals the overall use of Instagram and hiding likes. Therefore these are essential
questions that were prepared and were asked to participants. I was open to the research topic and
have gained support from participants. Clear information and supportive management helped me
to conduct research exercise effectively.
I have considered essential elements of ethical considerations in research. Before conducting
research, I have gained ethical approval while filling up the form and completing the first
exercise. I have learned information regarding the questions I asked the participants. Focus group
discussion was one of the primary research methods that helped me to concentrate on my
research topic. There are several challenges while conducting a focus group discussion.
Challenges
Focus group discussion has benefits as well as challenges. Benefits of focus group reveal the
research exercise being used considerably while following the research principles and research
ethics (Glynn, Shanahan & Duggan 2015). More detail information was gathered in a focus
group; statistics are considered while presenting the focus group discussion results and focus
group was used when talking to several people and discussing their experiences. There are
challenges while using focus group discussion in research. People at times won’t be honest in
revealing information as they disclose information in a group rather than a one-on-one interview.
At times there arises debate rather than allowing people to express their ideas and views for a
given topic. The debate may lead to conflicts and issues in research. Therefore when I conducted
a focus group discussion, I faced problems like debate arising for the research topic.
The Instagram CEO has provided settings for hiding likes for the US audience and not for all
Instagram users. Furthermore, there were conflicts in presenting an idea and participants were

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not able to communicate with each other. Though research ethics and research principles were
followed, the issues were never-ending until the research exercise was completed. Focus group
discussion was conducted to collect information and explain specific details on the research
topic. Participants answered the set of questions and information was gathered with the
qualitative data technique. Clear notes and information were recorded in the focus group
discussion that was transcribed and analyzed effectively.
The research topic of Instagram hiding was important as this is the latest decision that the CEO
of Instagram considered in the research. The same issue was discussed in the focus group
discussion, while participants had a different point of view regarding the topic. Instagram
settings of testing hiding likes of the audience are the new setting that was announced by Adam
Mosseri CEO of Instagram (Chan 2019). The CEO of Instagram provided importance, well-
being and security of the people while using social media channel. It is a good idea to have a
safety and security aspect for a large number of audience.
Furthermore, it is an integral part of the social media channel that the CEO considered while
provided a kind of social media utopia. The decisions of hiding likes may hurt the business, but it
is for the security of people at Instagram being a platform that helps to connect with people. The
plan of hiding likes at Wired25 is challenging the social media platform and will influence other
social media channels like Facebook and Twitter.
Analysis
Focus group discussion method was analyzed indicated a significant outcome of the useful
investigation of information from participants. Each participant was involved in the research
topic and answered the questions that were asked in the research exercise. Focus group
discussion was provided knowledge about research ethics to be considered in the research and
research principles to be followed while conducting proper research (Bruggen & Willems 2009).
From the research analysis, I analyzed that focus group discussion was an effective method to
discuss the research topic. Both positive and negative feedback of the study was considered. The
debate arose in between the focus group discussion, which was handled expertly. The results
were satisfactory and provided knowledge regarding the benefits and challenges of using focus

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group discussion. On the whole, the research method was useful, and participants offered
adequate expertise and insights.
Conclusion
In a future focus group discussion, I will consider more participants so that the research topic
was discussed well. I will make sure that the research topic is known to a broader audience, and
the audience is comfortable with the latest issues. I will prepare more questions that determine
the open-ended and close-ended questions. Focusing on the research topic, questions and proper
analysis, I will improve in conducting future focus group discussion. I have mainly addressed all
important aspects while considering research ethics. Research principles are the basis of doing a
good research practice. However, I will focus on a detailed analysis of results and record the
interview questions and answers of each participant. The recording is the latest technique that
saves time and energy for preparing results. Therefore, for future analysis and conducting a focus
group discussion, I will make improvements that will help me to achieve my desired standards.

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