Get to know the communities
At the time of the experiment, it is important to mingle appropriately, so that respondents do not feel that there is an "outsider" among them. In some narrow, specialized groups, due to the total oil and gas company canada whatsapp number limitation of anonymity, it is not welcome to just skim through messages or ask too many questions: they expect discussion, to share one's own experiences, to prove that one is a true member of the community. This sensitivity is indicative of how important it is in some people's lives to share their perceptions with their online friends, and at the same time underlines how reliable the data obtained in this way can be, and Virtual Ethnography aims to find out as much as possible about the natural and real reactions and behaviors of Internet users.
The researcher does not usually reveal his identity: he enters the virtual community as a participant or observer. Virtual ethnography involves two scenarios:
An observer, a member of a given group (social networks, chats, portals, etc.), has the task of integrating into the environment and carefully analyzing the behavior, but without interacting in any way with the other participants. He examines the context of the messages posted, their purpose and their form.
Active user: establishes relationships with members, actively participates in the community, but does not influence its goals or value system. May incite others to debate a given topic by posting controversial statements or asking questions.