Heavy Disguise

A research-ethics technique introduced by Amy Bruckman (2002) for handling quotes and user-generated content drawn from public online spaces. Under heavy disguise the researcher rephrases quotations, omits usernames and platform identifiers, and verifies (e.g., via search) that the disguised text cannot be traced back to its author. Heavy disguise is commonly used when analyzing sensitive Reddit or forum data about mental health, disability, or other identifying experiences. Recent work suggests that using generative AI to perform the rephrasing can strip domain-specific nuance and should be done with care.