Online interview

[3] Interviews are also useful for eliciting the language used by group members, gathering information about processes that cannot be observed, or inquiring about the past.

Researchers often seek out a deliberate (or "non-random") selection of respondents, recruiting individuals who can provide insight on a particular phenomenon, situation, or practice.

[5] Online Interviews can utilize a selection of formats and employ varying means of computer-mediated communication (CMC).

When WebRTC is used web browser (Firefox, Chrome or IE) acts as a client and both the parties can connect over a real-time video-chat.

This can be an advantage for research conducted across time zones or with busy participants, allowing them to answer questions at their convenience.

[5] Kitvits (2005 cited in Dowling 2012) point out that asynchronous interviews are very useful for reflective process which helps to assure rigor.

[8] A concern related to the asynchronous method is the possibility of interviews gradually drying up over an extended period.

[3] Additionally, asynchronous online interviews may feel less conversational and make it more difficult to ask follow-up questions.

This can make it difficult to assess how questions and responses are being interpreted on either side due to a lack of visual cues.

As suggested by the Association of Internet Researchers (AoIR), these will vary depending on community norms, local and national codes and guidelines, and context specific considerations.

[2] In asynchronous formats of interviews, researchers have experienced a lack of knowing if the participant has withdrawn or if the answer just took some time.

One popular subsite of the social media and aggregation site reddit, /r/IAmA, prompts its users to ask celebrities, politicians other persons of public interest questions about any topic.

Interviewees are required to provide proof of their identity to the volunteer moderators of the site and have included people such as Barack Obama,[18][19] Chris Hadfield[20] (who answered questions from the International Space Station), Bill Gates,[21] Stephen Colbert,[22] Arnold Schwarzenegger, Larry King and many more.