More on OkCupid and the Ethics of Big Data Research

Following up on my recent editorial at Wired, “OkCupid Study Reveals the Perils Of Big-Data Science”, I have posted an expanded version of that opinion piece at Ampersand, the blog for Public Responsibility in Medicine and Research (PRIM&R), a space committed to promoting dialogue and sharing knowledge about issues relevant to research ethics and oversight. The post takes a more conceptual approach to unpacking the various ways the OkCupid study and related controversy exposes gaps in how we think about privacy, personal information and consent in the big data research environment.

I also recently had a very nice conversation on WUWM Milwaukee Public Radio’s show Lake Effect, discussing the many ethical concerns that big data research is bringing to light. You can listen to that interview here.

And if you’re looking for more thoughtful commentary (and there is a lot starting to emerge on the topic), I suggest Woody Hartzog’s essay at Slate, “There Is No Such Thing as “Public” Data”, as well as Annette Markham’s essay on Medium, “OKCupid data release fiasco”