Corporate Research Ethics: Whose Responsibility?
Authors: Jeremy R. Simon
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (2014)

Ideas and Opinions16 December 2014Corporate Research Ethics: Whose Responsibility?Jeremy R. Simon, MD, PhDJeremy R. Simon, MD, PhDFrom Columbia University, New York, New York.Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/M14-1669 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail The recent publication of a study conducted by Facebook, which manipulated the amount of positive or negative material that users saw in their Facebook newsfeeds, has provoked much critical comment (1). The goal was to see whether the emotional content of users' newsfeeds affected their emotional states, as measured by their posts (2).The study involved approximately 700 000 Facebook users (2), none of whom were asked to consent (3). Most published discussion has been about Facebook's manipulation of users without their permission. Facebook's position, stated in the paper, is that no specific consent was needed because the terms of service ...References1. Goel V. Facebook tinkers with users' emotions in news feed experiment, stirring outcry. The New York Times. 30 June 2014:B1. Accessed at www.nytimes.com/2014/06/30/technology/facebook-tinkers-with-users-emotions-in-news-feed-experiment-stirring-outcry.html on 2 September 2014. Google Scholar2. Kramer AD, Guillory JE, Hancock JT. Experimental evidence of massive-scale emotional contagion through social networks. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2014;111:8788-90. [PMID: 24889601] doi:10.1073/pnas.1320040111 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar3. Goel V. Privacy group files complaint over Facebook's emotion study. The New York Times. 4 July 2014:B2. Accessed at http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/07/03/privacy-group-complains-to-f-t-c-about-facebook-emotion-studyon 2 September 2014. Google Scholar4. Facebook post by Adam D.I. Kramer. 29 June 2014. Accessed at www.facebook.com/akramer/posts/10152987150867796 on 11 July 2014. Google Scholar5. Cornell University. Cornell University Institutional Review Board for Human Participants. 6 June 1967 [Updated 14 March 2007]. Accessed at http://theuniversityfaculty.cornell.edu/governance/committees/institutional_review_board/IRBCharge.pdf on 2 September 2014. Google Scholar6. World Medical Association. World Medical Association Declaration of Helsinki: ethical principles for medical research involving human subjects. JAMA. 2013;310:2191-4. [PMID: 24141714] doi:10.1001/jama.2013.281053 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar7. Dunn CM, Chadwick GL. Protecting Study Volunteers in Research: A Manual for Investigative Sites. 2nd ed. Boston: CenterWatch; 2002. Google Scholar8. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. Editorial policies: journal policies. September 2014. Accessed at www.pnas.org/site/authors/journal.xhtml on 11 July 2014. Google Scholar9. Carberry J. Media statement on Cornell University's role in Facebook “emotional contagion” research [press release]. Ithaca, NY: Cornell Univ; 30 June 2014. Accessed at http://mediarelations.cornell.edu/2014/06/30/media-statement-on-cornell-universitys-role-in-facebook-emotional-contagion-research on 11 July 2014. Google Scholar10. Verma IM. Editorial expression of concern: experimental evidence of massive-scale emotional contagion through social networks. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2014;111:10779. [PMID: 24994898] doi:10.1073/pnas.1412469111 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: From Columbia University, New York, New York.Disclosures: Authors have disclosed no conflicts of interest. Forms can be viewed at www.acponline.org/authors/icmje/ConflictOfInterestForms.do?msNum=M14-1669.Corresponding Author: Jeremy R. Simon, MD, PhD, Center for Bioethics, Columbia University, 630 West 168th Street, 3-470, New York, NY 10032; e-mail, [email protected]edu.Author Contributions: Conception and design: J.R. Simon.Drafting of the article: J.R. Simon.Critical revision of the article for important intellectual content: J.R. Simon.Final approval of the article: J.R. Simon.Administrative, technical, or logistic support: J.R. Simon. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsSee AlsoUpdating Research Oversight for the 21st Century Bernard Lo The Importance of Purpose: Moving Beyond Consent in the Societal Use of Personal Health Information David Grande , Nandita Mitra , Anand Shah , Fei Wan , and David A. Asch The Importance of Purpose: Moving Beyond Consent in the Societal Use of Personal Health Information David Grande , Nandita Mitra , Anand Shah , Fei Wan , and David A. Asch Updating Research Oversight for the 21st Century Bernard Lo Metrics Cited byInformed ConsentUpdating Research Oversight for the 21st CenturyBernard Lo, MD 16 December 2014Volume 161, Issue 12Page: 917-918KeywordsBehaviorBioethicsConflicts of interestDisclosureDrugsEmotionsForecastingResearch ethicsStorms ePublished: 16 December 2014 Issue Published: 16 December 2014 Copyright & PermissionsCopyright © 2014 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF downloadLoading ...