Ever Complained about a Student Survey? Facebook Introduces a Whole New Level of Creepy

[LaskyaClaren]

Then again, maybe I'm wrong about Facebook facing no consequences . . .

 

http://thenextweb.com/facebook/2014/07/02/facebook-faces-investigation-by-uk-regulator-over-its-controversial-emotion-experiment/

[sirhc DeSantis]

Then again, its FB users (average age - yer Grannie) so who cares

PS can we move on to more Borg Queen pics please?

[LaskyaClaren]

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sirhc DeSantis wrote:

Then again, its FB users (average age - yer Grannie) so who cares

PS can we move on to more Borg Queen pics please?

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My Granny has been most distressed, actually. I think she's owed her privacy too! ;-)

PS. How difficult can it be to find pictures of cadaverous women with tubes sticking out of them online? Google is your friend!

[Perrie Juran]

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LaskyaClaren wrote:

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Perrie Juran wrote:

"The U.S. Department of Health & Human Service’s (DHHS) Office for Human Research Protections (

OHRP

) mandates that scientists adhere to several requirements in order to have “informed consent.” As summarized in part at

Social Psychology Network

, people conducting studies need to give their test subjects:

• A statement that the study involves research, an explanation of the purposes of the research and the expected duration of the subject's participation, a description of the procedures to be followed, and identification of any procedures which are experimental
• A description of any reasonably foreseeable risks or discomforts to the subject
• For research involving more than minimal risk, an explanation as to whether there are any treatments or compensation if injury occurs and, if so, what they consist of, or where further information may be obtained (Note: A risk is considered "minimal" when the probability and magnitude of harm or discomfort anticipated in the proposed research are not greater, in and of themselves, than those ordinarily encountered in daily life or during the performance of routine physical or psychological examinations or tests)
• A statement that participation is voluntary, refusal to participate will involve no penalty or loss of benefits to which the subject is otherwise entitled, and the subject may discontinue participation at any time without penalty or loss of benefits to which the subject is otherwise entitled"

 

Facebook May Have Broken The Law

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As I understand it, they may also have broken rules associated with their research grant from the US military.

The problem is, I can't see much blowback from this, because there aren't many mechanisms in place -- other than purely reputational ones -- to deal with this sort of instance. On the one hand, Facebook probably simply doesn't care; on the other, the scholarly community tends to be self-regulating, and really doesn't have formal procedures for disciplining breaches of ethics.

PNAS has taken a hit to its reputation, as perhaps have some of the individual scholars, and the editor, associated with the piece. Institutions can nail academics who are caught fabricating or plagiarizing research, but I personally don't know of any case where this kind of ethical issue has been pursued post-publication.

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I doubt if anything more will happen other than some people getting a professional slap on the hand.  

 

[LaskyaClaren]

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Perrie Juran wrote:

---

LaskyaClaren wrote:

---

Perrie Juran wrote:

"The U.S. Department of Health & Human Service’s (DHHS) Office for Human Research Protections (

OHRP

) mandates that scientists adhere to several requirements in order to have “informed consent.” As summarized in part at

Social Psychology Network

, people conducting studies need to give their test subjects:

• A statement that the study involves research, an explanation of the purposes of the research and the expected duration of the subject's participation, a description of the procedures to be followed, and identification of any procedures which are experimental
• A description of any reasonably foreseeable risks or discomforts to the subject
• For research involving more than minimal risk, an explanation as to whether there are any treatments or compensation if injury occurs and, if so, what they consist of, or where further information may be obtained (Note: A risk is considered "minimal" when the probability and magnitude of harm or discomfort anticipated in the proposed research are not greater, in and of themselves, than those ordinarily encountered in daily life or during the performance of routine physical or psychological examinations or tests)
• A statement that participation is voluntary, refusal to participate will involve no penalty or loss of benefits to which the subject is otherwise entitled, and the subject may discontinue participation at any time without penalty or loss of benefits to which the subject is otherwise entitled"

 

Facebook May Have Broken The Law

---

As I understand it, they may also have broken rules associated with their research grant from the US military.

The problem is, I can't see much blowback from this, because there aren't many mechanisms in place -- other than purely reputational ones -- to deal with this sort of instance. On the one hand, Facebook probably simply doesn't care; on the other, the scholarly community tends to be self-regulating, and really doesn't have formal procedures for disciplining breaches of ethics.

PNAS has taken a hit to its reputation, as perhaps have some of the individual scholars, and the editor, associated with the piece. Institutions can nail academics who are caught fabricating or plagiarizing research, but I personally don't know of any case where this kind of ethical issue has been pursued post-publication.

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I doubt if anything more will happen other than some people getting a professional slap on the hand.  

 

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Personally, I'd like to see the two researchers associated with universities nailed pretty hard for this, but that likely won't happen. I suspect that  you are right.

Perhaps, however, academics will think twice before signing on to this sort of thing in the future. Perhaps.