The presentation of the networked self: Ethics and epistemology in social network analysis

•Collecting network data can challenge some key assumptions about research ethics.•There is a need to go beyond the dichotomy: ‘real’ vs ‘perceived data’.•The presentation of self is a crucial step between perceptions and data collection.•Visual research can have major impact when disrupting the presentation of self.•An ethical approach to network research requires reflexivity, not just guidelines. Drawing on the seminal work of Goffman, Krackhardt and others, this paper argues that there is a crucial step in between participants’ perceptions and the collection and visualisation of data – i.e. what we call the presentation of the networked self. We employ examples from our own empirical work in the UK to argue that the presentation of the networked self requires researchers to adopt a highly reflexive approach. Framing our analysis within the context of contemporary society – including the impact of social media on a ‘networking mindset’ – we explore the range of ethical dilemmas which can emerge during a research encounter.