Keeping participants anonymous is a core principle in research ethics and accepted as international best practice. In this paper, we consider ways of improving the ethical quality of visual communication research in the ‘new normal’ situation created by the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, we use an argumentative discourse approach to discuss issues and concerns surrounding anonymity from a principlist perspective. The first section provides an orientation on international best practices and core research ethics principles. The second section reflects on South African research ethics committees, their functions, and the poor fit between a health research-orientated approach and research in art and design departments. Section three discusses some examples of how research students responded to the ‘new normal’. In the final section of the paper, we argue for a situation where study participants may choose their preferred level of anonymity and the researchers then honour this choice. If we treat persons as autonomous, should we not allow participants to choose to remain anonymous or not, or choose their level of anonymity? Such an approach raises the participant's autonomy and, in so doing, adds to the credibility of the research results.