Research Objective and Methodology
The chapter illustrates both the objective and the methodology of the research presented in the book. Possible evaluation research designs are reviewed, highlighting their strengths and weaknesses and analysing which one is the more suitable for the purpo
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Research Objective and Methodology
This chapter illustrates the objective of the research, i.e. to evaluate the SCP measures introduced by social media websites (presented in the previous chapter) and its methodology. Concerning the latter, Sect. 4.2.1 presents an overview of the existing evaluation research designs, while Sect. 4.2.1 analyses the specific existing conditions in the under analysis as to establish the most appropriate – and feasible – evaluation strategy. The chapter concludes with the presentation of the adopted methodology and the limitations of the study.
4.1 Research Objective SCP measures recently introduced by social media websites seem to be promising in fighting the illegal online trade of medicines. In addition, the entry into force of systems aimed at spotting, blocking, and removing contents linked to ITMs should be considered an encouraging SCP intervention since it matches several SCP techniques. In more detail, at least: • Target hardening (SCP technique no. 1). In this case, the target should be considered the virtual channel used to advertise and to sell ITMs – i.e. the social media platform – rather than the product under trade. The measures may determine a reduction in the online trade of medicines since efforts of criminal entrepreneurs in promoting those products to the general public are increased. • Deflecting offenders and removing targets (SCP techniques no. 4 and 12). Interventions are supposed to separate buyers from clients. In case the matching between demand and supply of ITMs would become impossible, there would be not reasons for offenders to use this virtual channel to advertise and to trade medicines illegally.
© The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020 G. Baratto, The Illegal Trade of Medicines on Social Media, SpringerBriefs in Criminology, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-57582-3_4
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4 Research Objective and Methodology
• Extending guardianships (SCP technique no. 6). These measures are aimed at extending the guardianship on the illegal online trade of medicines by involving private actors in monitoring and countering actives, i.e. companies running the social media platforms. • Disrupt markets (SCP technique no. 14). If posts linked to ITMs are removed, the illegal online trade of medicines on social media platforms would be consequently disrupted. • Deny benefits (SCP technique no. 15). In case interventions are effective, offenders will not have the incentive to use social media to promote and trade ITMs online since efforts in producing marketing strategies in those platforms would not produce any benefits. • Discourage imitation (SCP technique no. 20). Social media represents an easy, cheap, and secure way to commercialise ITMs online. For this reason several sellers have entered the illicit market. However, in case systems introduced by social media platforms are effective in spotting and removing contents associated with the illegal online trade of medicines, other actors will be discouraged in starting
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