Search results

Tene-Polonetsky-Beyond-IRBs-Ethical-Guidelines-for-Data-Research

Tene-Polonetsky-Beyond-IRBs-Ethical-Guidelines-for-Data-Research1

Jetten-Sharon-Selected-Issues-Concerning-the-Ethical-Use-of-Big-Data

Privacy The New Generations

Shilton-Emerging-Ethics-Norms-in-Social-Media-Research1

Architecting*Global*Ethics*Awareness**in*Transnational*Research*Programs*John%Murray,%SRI%International,%Silicon%Valley%CA%jxm@sri.com+November%2015%Summary:%Traditionally,%the%ethical%principles%that%guide%scientific%studies%involving%people%are%primarily%intended%to%cover%direct%human0centered%research.%However,%in%the%modern%online%world,%cyberHcentric%research%is%inherently%data0centered%in%nature,%and%researchers%frequently%operate%with%limited%awareness%of%the%potential%human%risks%and%effects%of%their%activities.%Indeed,%the%nature%of%their%work%is%such%that%any%organizational%oversight%of%their%research%may%be%absent.%Recently,%a%series%of%updates%to%the%U.S.%policies%and%regulations%governing%Institutional%Review%Boards%have%been%proposed,%which%are%likely%to%have%a%significant%impact%on%the%online%research%community.%However,%since%online%studies%inherently%cross%the%boundaries%of%multiple%jurisdictions,%there%is%now%an%even%greater%need%for%harmonizing%ethics%observance%regulations%and%guidelines%in%a%global%context.%(777777*Recent%developments%in%the%field%of%cybersecurity%studies%have%focused%attention%upon%the%ethics%involved%in%undertaking%such%academic%research.%In%particular,%such%discussions%often%center%upon%the%challenges%of%publishing%articles%that%discuss%cybersecurity%explorations%and%exploits,%which%may%reveal%potential%or%real%system%exposures%or%vulnerabilities.%%While%the%moral%dilemmas%of%revealing%system%vulnerabilities%in%academic%publications%are%indeed%important,%they%generally%come%towards%the%end%of%a%(potentially%lengthy)%research%effort,%well%after%other%damage%may%already%have%be%done.%%In%reality,%the%actual%ethical%challenges%should%have%been%considered%much%earlier%in%the%process,%when%the%research%team%were%designing%their%initial%investigations%and%data%collection%activities.%%The%policies%and%standards%based%on%the%1979%Belmont%Report%,%which%are%used%to%guide%scientific%ethics%reviews%across%the%U.S.%and%beyond,%have%limited%practical%relevance%to%modern%human%data%collection%and%analysis%activities%that%involve%highlyHnetworked%information%and%communications%technology%(ICT)%systems.%%%Consider%for%example%the%case%of%Batea%(https://batea.docgraph.com/study/),%which%is%a%web%browser%extension%that%research%volunteers%can%download%and%install,%in%order%to%track%their%use%of%Wikipedia’s%health%related%materials.%%The%tool%watches%what%they%do%within%the%site,%and%one%step%away%from%it%when%they%link%out.%The%idea%is%to%gain%insight%into%the%way%that%people%use%the%health%resources%on%Wikipedia,%in%order%to%help%develop%the%software,%policies,%and%social%infrastructure%necessary%to%support%such%usage%of%Wikipedia%in%the%most%natural%fashion.%%The%problem%is%that%collecting%such%data%could%be%invasive%or%the%resulting%logs%could%be%misused.%The%tool%could%also%potentially%form%a%slippery%slope%into%less%ethically%designed%research%by%others,%or%it%could%introduce%a%hacking%vulnerability%within%the% browser%system.%However,%because%of%the%distributed%and%voluntary%nature%of%the%Wikipedia%community,%it’s%not%clear%how%domainHknowledgeable%ethics%reviewers%should%be%involved,%to%provide%diligent%oversight%of%the%research%activities.%%In%the%broader%field%of%online%studies%in%general,%these%’locusHofHoverview’%impracticalities%are%exacerbated%by%the%pervasive%need%to%undertake%comprehensive,%transnational%experimental%projects,%where%much%of%the%human%data%collection%and%analysis%is%undertaken%remotely%across%varied,%and%often%incompatible,%legal%regimes%and%social%norms.%Yet%such%is%the%case%for%numerous%researchers%nowadays,%who%are%studying%ubiquitous%social%networks%and%global%crowdHsourcing%applications,%as%well%as%online%educational%and%gaming%environments,%cybersecurity%tools,%surveillance%systems,%etc.%%In%consideration%of%these%challenges,%%the%Menlo%Report%was%specifically%developed%to%address%issues%of%online%security,%privacy,%anonymity,%and%other%personal%identifiable%information%(PII)%concerns.%The%report’s%authors%recognized%that%the%broad%cyberHresearch%community%needs%a%more%rational%and%coordinated%strategy%for%managing%ethics%observance,%which%particularly%considers%the%scope%and%needs%of%ICT%research.%Such%a%tailored%approach%should%emphasize%studies%of%human%behavior%and%community%activity%online,%and%apply%across%multiple%jurisdictions%in%interactive%professional%and%social%environments.%This%transition%of%some%of%these%concerns%into%formal%policies%and%regulations%recently%progressed%with%the%publication%of%a%Notice%of%Proposed%Rulemaking%(NPRM)%in%the%U.S.%Federal%Register.%This%serves%to%promote%conversation%and%comment%from%parties%affected%by%the%proposed%changes.%The%latest%period%for%public%comments%on%the%NPRM%is%open%until%January%2016.%As%they%currently%stand,%some%of%the%proposed%changes%may%have%significant%implications%for%transHnational%cyberHresearch.%One%key%concern%is%the%extent%that%they%might%exacerbate%the%differences%between%human%subjects%research%requirements%in%the%U.S.%and%elsewhere,%while%at%the%same%time%relaxing%some%of%the%more%stringent%requirements%that%currently%apply%to%the%U.S.%research%community.%%Traditional%ethics%reviewers%try%to%ensure%equitable%distributions%of%burdens%and%benefits%among%the%human%subjects%actually%involved%in%the%study.%However,%online%research%activity%can%also%adversely%affect%innocent%bystanders%and%neutral%nonHparticipants.%Given%the%risks%associated%with%realHtime%dataHintensive%experiments,%such%studies%might%better%be%reviewed%in%terms%of%human0harming%research,%rather%than%human+subjects%research.%%%For%example,%solid%contingency%and%response%plans%are%needed%for%mitigation%of%realized%harms,%especially%for%lowHprobability/highHimpact%events.%These%types%of%safety%monitoring%procedures%are%standard%in%traditional%biomedical%studies,%but%are%rarely%considered%in%ICT%research.%Furthermore,%when%research%involves%surveillance,%profiling,%or%monitoring,%additional%vulnerability%protections%are%needed%to%prevent%the%misuse%of%findings%and%results.%This%is%particularly%the%case%when%novel%mergers%of%partial%data%from%several%public%sources%may%produce%PII%that%is%not%individually%available%from%just%one%of%them.%Other%concerns%arise%from% the%potential%for%abuse%of%data%for%social%discrimination,%especially%by%nonHinvestigators.%%Provisions%are%required%to%ensure%conformance%with%international%regulations%on%transborder%data%flow%that%include%personal%information.%In%this%regard,%the%current%oversight%policies%and%data%handling%processes%for%multiHjurisdictional%ethics%approvals%are%primarily%centered%upon%the%requirements%of%pharmaceutical%drug%trials,%medical%device%tests,%etc.,%rather%than%on%the%research%needs%in%globalHscale%social%science,%humanHmachine%systems,%and%ICT.%%%To%address%this%gap,%an%international%ethics%observance%organization%is%needed,%which%would%coordinate/oversee%regulations%and%guidelines%for%research%in%online%systems%and%other%cyberHenvironments%across%multiple%jurisdictions.%This%could%be%a%consortium%of%nonHprofit%organizations%in%several%domains,%which%would%ensure%smooth%transnational%processing%of%approvals.%It%seems%appropriate%that%such%a%consortium%would%need%to%have%the%backing%of%a%recognized%international%entity%such%as%UNESCO.%The%first%steps%toward%such%harmonization%could%be%merely%a%matter%of%coordinating%and%making%available%the%critical%features%of%each%local%research%context,%or%it%could%extend%to%negotiating%safe%harbors%for%compliance%with%local%research%context.%Thus,%if%a%study%complies%with%certain%key%components,%then%it%is%deemed%to%satisfy%local%research%context%requirements%for%specific%countries.%Another,%further%step%might%be%to%aim%for%legislative%harmonization%on%the%topic%of%research%protection.%%The%bottom%line%is%that%almost%any%form%of%standardized%ethical%framework%would%help%cyberspace%researchers%worldwide%become%more%aware%of%the%challenges%and%know%when%they%have%addressed%some%required%basic%considerations.%This%must%be%better%than%the%current%haphazard%obstacle%course,%which%generally%leaves%everyone%guessing%as%to%what%they%still%need%to%do,%to%work%through%this%ethical%minefield.%References:(:%%www.hhs.gov/ohrp/humansubjects/guidance/belmont.html%:%%www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/publications/CSD0MenloPrinciplesCOMPANION0201201030r731_0.pdf%:%+www.federalregister.gov/articles/2015/09/08/2015021756/federal0policy0for0the0protection0of0human0subjects+000000+Dr.*John*Murray%is%a%Program%Director%in%the%Computer%Science%Laboratory%at%SRI%International.%His%research%interests%encompass%interactive%collaborative%systems,%software%engineering,%cognitive%ergonomics,%and%humanHmachine%systems.%He%has%led%many%innovative%interdisciplinary%systems%research%and%development%projects%both%in%academia%and%in%industry,%and%has%held%technical%leadership%and%executive%management%positions%at%several%international%corporations.%%His%technical%experience%includes%diagnostic%modeling%in%complex%networked%systems,%human%behavior%modeling%in%computer%gaming%studies,%smart%product%design,%and%mobile%wearable%computer%systems.%Dr.%Murray%has%received%advanced%degrees%from%Dublin%Institute%of%Technology%in%Ireland,%Stanford%University,%and%the%U.%of%Michigan,%where%he%was%also%an%adjunct%faculty%member.%He%is%also%a%Visiting%Scientist%in%the%College%of%Science%at%San%Jose%State%University.%%

FPF_Cal_PUC_Smar_ Grid_Comments

Richards-Hartzog-Trusting-Big-Data-Research-FPF-Conference-Draft

Polonetsky-Tene-final

Swire_FCC-testimony_CPNI_04_27_15