ON UNETHICAL RESEARCH CONDUCTED BY FACEBOOK A must-read, informative, and slightly opinionated mini-essay (Because my essays usually are much, much longer) Just this late evening I was shocked to find a news regarding a research project that tweaked about 700k Facebooks users Newsfeed last January 2012, in which a computer algorithm manipulated the post that appears in ones Newsfeed. This research paper can be read here: pnas.org/content/111/24/8788.full According to Katy Waldman (2014), federal laws and human rights declaration explicitly mentioned that social researches, especially those that changes psychological status, requires an informed consent of its subjects. The proponents of the research, thru their methodology, returned that they were consistent within FBs data use policy, but if you checked, there is only a vague mention of research that one actually agrees to by signing up for Facebook. It is said that if a scientific investigation receives federal funding, it is obligated to follow the Common Rule for human subjects, which defines informed consent as descriptions of foreseeable risks or discomfort to subjects. Facebook receives no federal funding for such research and thus, exempt from this rule. It is unclear, however, whether Cornell University or University of California - San Fransisco helped finance the study, for if they did, both fell on laws purview. Furthermore, if they didnt and the researchers only participated nonetheless, it unclear on what standards the study must legally meet. MY OPINION: It is an understatement to say I am disturbed. Does it not bother you, to think that scientists and machines alike are scouring over your posts without your consent? And by consent, I dont mean Facebooks half-baked privacy rule, but consent, as in explicitly-rigorous-detailed consent! In retrospect, I feel that somehow this was a disaster waiting to happen. When I first created my Facebook, I was fearful lest the admins take advantage of my account, and this is not hindsight bias talking. No, I know that there is a certain peril to social networking sites. Now my unfounded fears are cemented forever as rational. In addition, most people dont seem privy to their privacy settings. People also doesnt seem to know the limit, that there is such a thing as oversharing. Anyway, this mini-essay is not meant to berate everyone, but primarily to inform and gather opinion. Did you know that computer power increases by 2x magnitude every year (google Moores law)? Our typical modern laptop is 64,000 times more powerful than the first IBM computer. If this seems factual, then it must follow that the algorthm Facebook uses is powerful too. Who knows what else they were doing with our account. *shivers* The only reason I am not yet deleting my FB (and possibly other social networking accounts) right now is because other UPMin professors (ehem-ehem Mantiquilla, Silvosa, Limpoco, et al) are so insistent on using Fb as a means to communicate, to share ppt and other class materials, to inform about upcoming exams, etc... Ponyeta, I only even created my Fb account just to cater to my academic needs! You know, the most convenient is NOT always the best option, but by golly, most people think it is! By this, I wish also to discourage everyone from using the automatic login setting that links Fb, Gmail, Twitter, etc. Thats a disaster waiting to happen, too. :-) Thats all! - not, less wrong
Posted on: Mon, 30 Jun 2014 05:45:00 +0000
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