1 Patreon Data Hack and Academic Data Standards

1.1 Question 1

Does the illegal nature of the data collection and the release of private data taint the data in the release that was already publicly available?

  • One one hand, if the data is released without consent, it should not be used. On the other hand, it is still publicly available.
  • 1a. Does using hacked data legitimize criminal activity?
    • If researchers use hacked information, we’re reinforcing it.

1.2 Question 2

Users of Patreon initially had an expectation of privacy, but that privacy no longer exists. Do researchers need to respect the intent or the reality?

  • As researchers, we’re equipped to make inferences from data that the general public cannot. We must consider our ethical responsibilities.
    • We need to understand the expectations of privacy users have when using social media and other digital spaces.
  • Even though IRB has not caught up to Big Data research, we need to protect the humans involved in the creation of the data.
  • We should consider data as humans.
  • We need to consider the vulnerability of communities who’s data we collect.

1.3 Question 3

Scholars and journalists share some functions in dealing with information and making it accessible to the public, but are the ethical considerations the same? If not, why not?

  • Researchers should have higher ethical considerations because researchers have the skills to aggregate and analyze. Journalist usually approach data for descriptive + creative purposes.

1.4 Question 4

Researchers will nearly always claim that their research will have a net public benefit and thus their methods are justified. Who gets to decide if that is accurate in any given case?

  • IRB often makes this decision, however, the a lot of unethical research is still conducted.
  • The public decides whether the public benefit is(was) justified.
  • Researchers should also have discussion before submitting a study IRB. Researchers should ask themselves:
    • Why are you doing this research?
    • Why is it important?
    • What information does it add to the body of knowledge and, more importantly, society
    • What is the public benefit? (Not personal benefits = publications)