Which of the following methods could be considered a "best practice" in terms of informing respondents how their answers to an on-line survey about personal information will be protected?
a. respondents are informed that investigators will try to keep their participation confidential; however, confidentiality cannot be assured.
b. respondents are informed that a research assistant will transfer all the research data to a password-protected computer that is not connected to the internet, via a usb flashdrive. the computer is located in a research team member's office.
c. the investigator uses the informed consent process to explain her institution's method for guaranteeing absolute confidentiality of research data.
d. the investigator uses the informed consent process to explain how respondent data will be transmitted from the website to his encrypted database without ever recording respondents' ip addresses, but explains that on the internet confidentiality cannot be absolutely guaranteed.

D. The investigator uses the informed consent process to explain how respondent data will be transmitted from the website to his encrypted database without ever recording respondents' IP addresses, but explains that on the internet confidentiality cannot be absolutely guaranteed.

Explanation:

Keep in mind that breach of information during on-line survey could be the researcher's fault or subject's fault, depending on how they secure their internet connection.

- Method A is not suitable because of this phrase:   'confidentiality cannot be assured' .  This will make the subject thinks that the researchers are not taking responsibilities in protecting the information.

-Method B is not suitable because it create a physical location where people could come in and directly steal the data of all the subjects,

- Method C is not suitable because it does not educate the subjects with the possibilities that they can personally made the mistake that can cause the breach of information.

- Method D is the most suitable because it conveys that the research team is making their full efforts to ensure the anonymity of the subjects and also educate them regarding the possibilities of breach information from the subject's mistake. (it would be even better if the investigator advised the subjects to use trusted VPN services.)

answer; their own memory abilities;