This document discusses ethics in human subjects research. It describes the Tuskegee Syphilis Study where untreated Black men were studied without informed consent. It then outlines the requirements for informed consent including informing subjects, allowing withdrawal, and avoiding harm. An Institutional Review Board must assess risks and benefits. However, business studies and A/B testing do not require consent or review since they are not considered human subjects research. The document also discusses Facebook and OKCupid experiments that manipulated users, raising questions about ethics.

1. Ethics and Professionalism in CS
I N F O R M E D C O N S E N T
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Human Subjects Research
A scientific investigation that involves
humans as the test subjects.
Benefits and harm balance.
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Tuskegee Case (1)
Done in the period between 1932-1972 in Macon
Alabama by the US public health service.
An observational study to monitor the
development of untreated Syphilis.
600 (399 with, 201 without) African-American
sharecroppers were involved in the study.
They were only told that they are receiving free
health-care and hot meals.
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2. Tuskegee Case (2)
In 1947, Penicillin became a standard treatment for Syphilis.
◦ Poor subjects were never informed!!!
A public outcry halted this study in 1972.
◦ The harm caused on subjects not being treated outweighs the
medical value out of
this study.
◦ More harm than benefit
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The Tuskegee case?
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Informed Consent
Human subjects MUST
◦ Be informed about the experiment
◦ Consent to the experiment without any
type of coercion.
◦ Have the right to withdraw at any time.
Researchers shouldn’t (INTENTIONALLY)
cause any harm to subjects.
Required by federal law.
◦ ONLY for government funded studies!!

3. 6
Institutional Review Board (IRB)
It is sometimes hard for subjects to assess the benefits vs harm
in an experiment
they are involved in.
◦ Experimenters cannot do that alone!
Benefits vs harm should be assessed by whom?
IRBs comprises diverse members
◦ Including non-scientists.
It balances the potential harm on human subjects against
benefits to the society.
Manages any violations of informed consent
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Informed Consent (Always possible??)
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Business studies
Informed consent and IRB review are NOT required if the study
is done by
businesses.

4. A/B testing for online companies
◦ Group of customers shown version A
◦ Other group shown version B
◦ Compare
NOT considered human subjects research!!!!
◦ Considered a good business practice.
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Facebook/Cornell experiment
In 2012, researchers at Facebook and Cornell
university conducted an experiment to
manipulate user mood (Emotional Contagion).
◦ Published in 2014
◦ News feed of some Facebook users (700, 000)
were manipulated
◦ Some were shown positive articles
◦ Others were shown negative articles
◦ Results were really interesting!!
◦ Mood is contagious!
Was it legal? Was it ethical?
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Facebook / Cornell Experiment
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5. OKCupid case
Online matching company.
◦ Match couple profiles
◦ A matching algorithm
◦ Compatibility score
The love is blind day (Suppressed photos)
◦ This results in more conversations
They tinkered with the algorithm
◦ They told couples they were compatible
even if they are not!!!!
◦ And vice versa
◦ Results were interesting!!!
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OKCupid case (2)
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Experiment
Compatible Not Compatible
Truth
Compatible Good Good
Not Compatible Good Bad

6. OKCupid
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�Ethics and Professionalism in CSHuman Subjects
ResearchTuskegee Case (1)Tuskegee Case (2)The Tuskegee
case?Informed ConsentInstitutional Review Board
(IRB)Informed Consent (Always possible??)Business
studiesFacebook/Cornell experimentFacebook / Cornell
ExperimentOKCupid caseOKCupid case (2)OKCupid
Write about your opinion regarding business research and
informed consent.