Ethics and Policy of Data Processing
Read the attached four-page file about the Facebook emotional contagion study. This study
caused a great deal of controversy. In your view, was this study conducted ethically? Refer to at
least two of the principles in the Menlo Report in your answer. The researchers state in the paper
that their study “was consistent with Facebook’s Data Use Policy, to which all users agree prior
to creating an account on Facebook, constituting informed consent for this research.” In your
view, is this a good enough justification for the research being ethical? Why/why not?
Your reading response will be graded out of 4 points, as follows:
– 1 point for submission;
– 1 point for correct length (i.e. minimum length 150 words, maximum length 200 words);
– 1 point for addressing the task;
– 1 point for referring to at least three of this week’s readings.
Indicate in your reading response where you are referring to a reading by writing the author’s
name and the year of publication in the appropriate place, e.g., “As Collins (1980) states, the
Challenger disaster was caused by failures of communication…”
