Engaging the Public in Ethical Reasoning About Big Data

The public constitutes a major stakeholder in the debate about, and resolution of privacy and ethical issues in Big Data research about human affairs. Thus, scientists must learn to take public concerns about Big Data research seriously and how to communicate messages designed to build trust in specific big data projects and the institution of science in general. This chapter explores the implications of various examples of engaging the public in online activities such as Wikipedia that contrast with “Notice and Consent” forms and offers models for scientists to consider when approaching their potential subjects in research. Drawing from Lessig, Code and Other Laws of Cyberspace, the chapter suggests that four main regulators drive the shape of online activity: Code (or Architecture), Laws, Markets, and Norms. Specifically, scientists should adopt best practices in protecting computerized Big Data (Code), remain completely transparent about their data management practices (Law), make smart choices when deploying digital solutions that place a premium on information protection (Market), and, critically, portray themselves to the public as seriously concerned with protecting the privacy of persons and security of data (Norms). The community of Big Data users and collectors should remember that such data are not just “out there” somewhere but are the intimate details of the lives of real persons who have just as deep an interest in protecting their privacy as they do in the good work that is conducted with such data. Ethical concerns in Big Data are of particular interest to a variety of professionals, researchers, and specialists. As the volume and variety of such data continue to grow rapidly, individuals from fields as different as geography and biomedical sciences to software engineering and sociology will have a wealth of new material available to further their academic and financial interests. All of these fields will have to adapt to the unique ethical issues related to digital privacy rights and the management of previously inconceivable amounts of data.