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Part III. Digital Media and Storytelling in Research ] 121
help their peers who are in similar situations. Digital stories can also function
as educational or preventive aids due to their demonstrative power. Since
2002, the StoryCenters Silence Speaks program has been publishing digital
stories on gender, public health, and human rights issues and disseminating
the educational materials produced. The work of Silence Speaks groups is
often linked to narrative or art therapy. In most cases, the author consents
to publish his or her video online. These videos often appear in discussion
forums and conferences to encourage social action (Hill, 2008).
Digital stories are the result of a considerable internal work, and often
contain sensitive information that the creator is not yet ready to share to a
wider audience. It is also possible, particularly in the case of a discriminated
group or individual, that the creator may be accused of defamation, so it is
always important to consider the scope of publicity of their work.
Overall, the facilitator should follow the ethical principles of qualitative
research. Thus, when using DST for autobiographic purposes, the facilitator¬
researcher should keep in mind the following principles: (1) avoid upsetting
participants; (2) participants should be informed in detail about the purpose
and process of the research; (3) participation should be voluntary; (4)
anonymity should be ensured in regard to publication; and (5) data should
not be published without the consent of the participants unless this is the
aim of the project (Horvath and Mitev, 2015).
In addition to the research ethics issues, we also need to address the
copyright and data protection dilemmas that arise with DST.
Data processing, data protection
The researcher associates personal data with the personal demographic data
or with the verbalizable data of the data providers. Beyond this, however, an
image or video of an individual is also considered personal data and, if it is
included in a digital story, may constitute data processing. It is important
to be aware that the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) defines
personal data as any information relating to an identified or identifiable
natural person (Article 4.1 of EU Regulation 2016/679).
The complexities of data processing become simplified when it is made
clear who the data controller is and whether there is a professional purpose
for the data. If the digital story has been created by someone for their own
use and the video is not presented for any educational or another professional
purpose, then it is considered private data processing. According to the
GDPR, “{...] this Regulation does not apply to the processing of personal data
by a natural person in the course of a purely personal or household-activity
and thus with no connection to a professional or commercial activity” (Recital
18 of Regulation 2016/679 EU).