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The aim of the article is to analyse the possibility and extent of authorisation of empirical material by research participants, including authorisation of interviews in qualitative studies. The institution of authorisation (autoryzacja) is well known in Polish Press Law and journalistic practice; however, research participants sometimes also request authorisation of their interviews. This article examines provisions of national and European research ethics, which may be interpreted as relating to aspects of authorisation. It formulates the rules and limitations of authorisation in scientific research, indicating that its scope is not regulated by law. Any potential right to authorise interviews or other empirical material may therefore be agreed upon in specific cases at the pre-interview stage. The article also indicates that confidentiality of academic interviews has similar functions to that of authorisation: anonymisation of research material prevents the identification of interviewees who require authorisation because they do not want to share their views and opinions under their full names.