As Data Overflows Online, Researchers Grapple With Ethics - NYTimes.com

Socially awkward research

"Dr. Gray advocates a simple litmus test for researchers: If you’re afraid to ask your subjects for their permission to conduct the research, there’s probably a deeper ethical issue that must be considered.

For Professor Hancock, solutions could include an opt-in process for projects that involve big changes in an Internet user’s experience, and a debriefing system to inform users about smaller tests after the fact. Companies will not willingly participate in anything that limits their ability to innovate quickly, he said, so any process has to be “effective, lightweight, quick and accountable.”"

As Data Overflows Online, Researchers Grapple With Ethics - NYTimes.com