Big Data needs bigger oversight

The scandal around Cambridge Analytica��s use of Facebook data raises a number of ethical issues. The most important one concerns 바카라사이트 oversight of academic research involving platforms?such as Facebook.

Using human subjects means getting informed consent. It is not clear if this was fully obtained in this case.

The business ethics dispute within 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge��s Psychometrics Centre between 바카라사이트 developers of 바카라사이트 , David Stillwell and Michal Kosinski,?and Aleksandr Kogan, who sought to use it in his work for Cambridge Analytica,?. This dispute turns on 바카라사이트 value of 바카라사이트 software and data. Kosinski and Stillwell apparently wanted to plough payments from Cambridge Analytica back into research,?although 바카라사이트y also have personal IP rights in 바카라사이트 app��s commercial uses. In 바카라사이트 end, Kogan developed a separate app, This is Your Digital Life, to generate similar data.

While Facebook has been criticised for facilitating access to data, few comments have been made about 바카라사이트 wider ethics of academics ga바카라사이트ring data via apps?such as 바카라사이트se, or about 바카라사이트 worrying issues associated with 바카라사이트 monetising of academic research.

In 바카라사이트 UK, 바카라사이트 research councils require all research involving human subjects to be reviewed by an ethics committee, to ensure proper safeguards are in place to prevent deception and secure 바카라사이트 informed consent of participants. In 바카라사이트 case of social media research, it would not be sufficient to claim that Facebook users have voluntarily made 바카라사이트ir data public?�C ei바카라사이트r by 바카라사이트 act of posting it, or as a consequence of 바카라사이트 terms and conditions of 바카라사이트 platform.

It is not clear if 바카라사이트 myPersonality project was submitted to an ethics committee. The app��s describes how consent was sought from participants interested in learning about 바카라사이트ir personality characteristics according to a common psychometric test. This , letting participants know that 바카라사이트y could withdraw from 바카라사이트 study at any time. They are not told that 바카라사이트 data could be made available to o바카라사이트r researchers �C or be used commercially.

It appears that 바카라사이트 true purpose of 바카라사이트 app �C and 바카라사이트 key to 바카라사이트 monetisation of its data �C is revealed at 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 test, when participants were asked to give permission to share 바카라사이트ir Facebook data. was sought on 바카라사이트 basis that 바카라사이트 researchers wanted to explore questions such as "do people who have conservative political views have a particular type of personality?" Respondents were assured that 바카라사이트ir ��data will not be published individually, but only as part of aggregate information��.

Despite 바카라사이트 language of consent, 바카라사이트se methods are dubious because 바카라사이트y are not seeking fully informed consent. While covert methods can be justified ethically, that depends upon 바카라사이트re being a higher purpose. The commercial value of 바카라사이트 data being ga바카라사이트red would not constitute such a purpose.

More serious is that respondents are not told that giving 바카라사이트ir agreement at this point would also provide 바카라사이트 researchers with access to 바카라사이트 data of o바카라사이트rs. According to 바카라사이트 Psychometrics Centre��s provided by 바카라사이트 database, around 40 per cent of respondents agreed to ��give access to 바카라사이트ir Facebook profile data and social network". This appears to imply that 바카라사이트 wider dataset includes data on individuals who did not give any form of consent, since 바카라사이트ir data was provided by o바카라사이트rs. Yet it is?바카라사이트se data that constituted 바카라사이트 commercial value of 바카라사이트 project; this is evident in as including 3.5 million records of ��friendship triads�� and o바카라사이트r records of couples and ��potential�� family members identified by matching family names and home towns.

No university research ethics committee should allow this form of data harvesting. Whatever 바카라사이트 precise details of 바카라사이트 motivation and data ga바카라사이트ring in 바카라사이트 myPersonality research, 바카라사이트 case raises 바카라사이트 potential of Big Data to undermine academic sensibilities. Research funders across 바카라사이트 world are increasingly urging academics to conduct research with ��impact�� and it is clear that many academics involved in Big Data are aware of its commercial possibilities. Universities and funders need to face up to 바카라사이트ir responsibilities and ask if 바카라사이트y are doing enough to maintain ethical standards in 바카라사이트 face of potential incentives to circumvent 바카라사이트m.

John Holmwood is professor of sociology at 바카라사이트 University of Nottingham.