Editing 1390: Research Ethics
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==Explanation== | ==Explanation== | ||
− | + | {{incomplete|First draft.}} | |
− | Here, | + | This comic references the recent revelation that Facebook engaged in a "psychological experiment" by selectively showing users more "positive" or "negative" posts on their news feed and recording the users' comments to see if the change affected the positivity or negativity of their posts. Further experiments have since been revealed [http://online.wsj.com/articles/facebook-experiments-had-few-limits-1404344378 such as one that tested security measures by locking users out of their accounts]. Here, Megan is commenting on the fact that, while the media is calling this control over what content the user sees "unethical," Facebook, and other companies like Google, must, one way or another, control what content the user sees, whether to present users with a limited selection of all postings, or to tailor ads to particular users; even if the regular algorithms are not set up for psychological experiments, they are still "manipulating" what posts users see or don't see. As Megan points out, no one really knows what the "normal" constraits are of the algorithm which chooses which posts are shown on news feeeds. This comic is parodying the strong reaction to what is basically already a common practice. |
− | Accumulation, control and analysis of user-generated information can be a part of the | + | Accumulation, control and analysis of user-generated information can be a part of the terms of service/end user license agreement of a Website or software. In such a scenario, the user has effectively signed his/her consent to being part of such research. Unfortunately, most users don't read the terms before clicking the "I agree" option, so it can come as a shock when the service uses the data in a way the user hadn't anticipated. |
− | The | + | The comic that Randall originally published contained the word "what" twice (on the end of the first line and again on the start of the second line), which is a typical mistake that would be detected by many spell checkers [http://blogmines.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/image_thumb18.png]. Randall fixed the error after a few hours. |
− | + | The title text ironically/sarcastically accepts that Facebook has access to all of its users thoughts (through posts/messages and photos, and they can read them for research (or whatever other) purposes, but contrasts this with a suggestion (which likely mirrors how Facebook would respond to such a request) that Facebook's code is private and can not be revealed to us. The title text basically appears to be musing that this is backwards, and our personal data should be considered MORE private than Facebook's programming code, which may be proprietary, but is not personal private data. | |
− | + | It is as if your neighbor was spying on you while you left all your shades open, but you felt it to be inappropriate to find out what he knew about you because that's his business. | |
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==Transcript== | ==Transcript== | ||
− | :[Megan is facing Cueball and Ponytail | + | |
− | :Megan: Facebook shouldn't choose what stuff they show us to conduct unethical psychological research. | + | :[Megan is facing Cueball and Ponytail] |
+ | :Megan: Facebook shouldn't choose what stuff they show us to conduct unethical psychological research. | ||
:Megan: They should ''only'' make those decisions based on, uh... | :Megan: They should ''only'' make those decisions based on, uh... | ||
− | :Megan: However they were doing it before. | + | :Megan: However they were doing it before. |
:Megan: Which was probably ethical, right? | :Megan: Which was probably ethical, right? | ||
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{{comic discussion}} | {{comic discussion}} | ||
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