Consent Form
The Emergence and Diffusion of Illicit Virtual Goods across the International Ecosystem
Principal Investigators: Georgia State University and Northeastern University
Name of Investigator(s): Ekaterina Botchkovar, Yubao Wu, David Maimon.
Request to Participate in Research
We would like to invite you to take part in a research study. The purpose of this research is to understand how economic transactions are made on Darknet forums and markets and to identify ways in which people make decisions on whether or not to engage in these transactions.
You must be at least 18 years old to participate.
The study will be entirely online and will take about 5-6 minutes of your time. If you decide to take part in this study, we will ask you to fill out a short survey.
The risks related to participation in the study are minimal. While there is a remote chance of feeling uncomfortable responding to some questions, you can terminate your participation in the project at any moment without any consequences for you. There are no direct benefits to you from participating in the study. You will not be paid for your participation. However, your answers may help us understand how markets work in the world of the Darkweb. You will be participating in the study anonymously. That means no one will know if you took part in this study and no one, including the researcher, will know what your answers are. Your IP address will not be logged. Any reports or publications based on this research will use only group data and will not identify you or any individual as being on this project.
The decision to participate in this research project is up to you. You do not have to participate, and you can refuse to answer any question. Even if you begin the study, you may withdraw at any time.
If you have any questions about this study, please feel free to contact Ekaterina Botchkovar, Yubao Wu, or David Maimon, the Principal Investigators.
If you have any questions about your rights in this research, you may contact Anita Balgopal, Director, Human Subject Research Protection, Mail Stop: 560-177, 360 Huntington Avenue, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115. Tel: 617.373.4588, Email: [email protected]. You may call anonymously if you wish.
By clicking on the “I Accept” button below you are indicating that you consent to participate in this study. You will be redirected to survey form.