I would like to know if there is any consensus or further reading available with regard to the responsibilities of researchers who are covertly observing members of the public.
For example: a group of undergraduate researchers are observing members of the public crossing at pedestrian crossings and the member of the public falls whilst crossing the road.
It could be assumed that the researcher will act like any other responsible member of the public, but is there any guidance on this issue? It may be more important in risky situations such as covert observation of drug taking in a club environment. But is there a common applicable ethical framework to guide this?