Ethics and social networking sites: A disclosive analysis of Facebook

Paper has been accepted for publication in Information, Technology and People.Purpose: This paper provides insights into the moral values embodied by a popular social networking site (SNS), Facebook. We adopt the position that technology as well as humans has a moral character in order to disclose ethical concerns that are not transparent to users of the site. Design/methodology/approach: This study is based upon qualitative field work, involving participant observation, conducted over a two year period. Findings: Much research on the ethics of information systems has focused on the way that people deploy particular technologies, and the consequences arising, with a view to making policy recommendations and ethical interventions. By focusing on technology as a moral actor with reach across and beyond the Internet, we reveal the complex and diffuse nature of ethical responsibility in our case and the consequent implications for governance of SNS. Research limitations/implications: We situate our research in a body of work known as disclosive ethics and argue for an ongoing process of evaluating SNS to reveal their moral importance. Along with other authors in the genre, our work is largely descriptive, but we engage with prior research by Brey and Introna to highlight the scope for theory development. Practical implications: Governance measures that require the developers of social networking sites to revise their designs fail to address the diffuse nature of ethical responsibility in this case. Such technologies need to be opened up to scrutiny on a regular basis to increase public awareness of the issues and thereby disclose concerns to a wider audience. We suggest that there is value in studying the development and use of these technologies in their infancy, or if established, in the experiences of novice users. Furthermore, flash points in technological trajectories can prove useful sites of investigation. Originality/value: Existing research on social networking sites either fails to address ethical concerns head on or adopts a tool view of the technologies so that the focus is on the ethical behaviour of users. We focus upon the agency, and hence the moral character, of technology to show both the possibilities for, and limitations of, ethical interventions in such cases

Do steering committees and boards constitute good project governance?

One could argue that good project governance positively influences productivity, and that this shapes the economy in a sustainable way. However, there is a prevailing perception in the corporate and government environment that steering committees and boards in some way constitutes good project governance. This perception appears to be based in part upon the presumption that the corporate sector always performs better than government; the corporate sector assures good corporate governance through boards; Ergo everyone else, including government, would perform better if they did the same. The paper argues that this presumption is indefensible as there is no scientific or rational basis to support it. Moreover, the concept of governance as steering committees and boards can diffuse responsibility and accountability in the hierarchical structures of government departments and large organisations that initiate their own projects and this can lead to project delay, confusion and uncertainty. The paper reviews the literature on governance and project steering committees and concludes that establishing project advisory rather than steering committees removes the potential for organisational power play and provides an effective consultation mechanism that facilitates 'best for project' outcomes

More than just friends? Facebook, disclosive ethics and the morality of technology

Social networking sites have become increasingly popular destinations for people wishing to chat, play games, make new friends or simply stay in touch. Furthermore, many organizations have been quick to grasp the potential they offer for marketing, recruitment and economic activities. Nevertheless, counterclaims depict such spaces as arenas where deception, social grooming and the posting of defamatory content flourish. Much research in this area has focused on the ends to which people deploy the technology, and the consequences arising, with a view to making policy recommendations and ethical interventions. In this paper, we argue that tracing where morality lies is more complex than these efforts suggest. Using the case of a popular social networking site, and concepts about the morality of technology, we disclose the ethics of Facebook as diffuse and multiple. In our conclusions we provide some reflections on the possibilities for action in light of this disclosure

Exploring the democratic potential of online social networking: The scope and limitations of e-participation

Copyright © 2012 by the Association for Information Systems.The availability and promise of social networking technologies with their perceived open philosophy has increasingly inspired citizens around the world to participate in political activity on the Web. Recent examples range from opposing public policies, such as government funding cuts, to organizing revolutionary social movements, such as those in the Middle East and North Africa. Although online spaces create remarkable opportunities for various forms of political action, there are concerns over the power of existing institutions to control and even censor such interaction spaces. The objective of this article is to draw together different insights on the online engagement phenomenon, highlighting both its potential and limitations as a mechanism for fostering democratic debate and influencing policy making. We examine recent examples from Europe, the Middle East and Latin America. Finally, we summarize the implications of our work and outline directions for further research

The New Breed of Trade Marks: Sounds, Smells and Tastes

Sounds, smells and tastes can now be registered as trade marks in New Zealand under the Trade Marks Act 1953. These novel types of signs raise concerns about their ability to act as effectively as the more traditional word and design trade marks. Consumers will have to utilise less perceptive senses in order to comprehend these marks, and may not be able to rely on them to distinguish products at the point of sale. The inherent intangibility of these marks may also have implications for determining questions of similarity and the likelihood of confusion in infringement actions.Unlike the more traditional trade marks, sounds, smells and tastes are usually intrinsic features of products. Such characteristics should not be registrable as trade marks because they are not sufficiently separate from the underlying goods and would allow a trader to have a monopoly over their production. The rationale behind trade mark protection must not be lost sight of in the desire to shield innovative traders who utilise exciting signs to market their products

Breaking the workflow: Design heuristics to support the development of usable digital audio production tools: framing usability heuristics for contemporary purposes

The investigation that follows presents the results of a series of workshops with professional musicians and music producers. The work here elicits requirements for musicians in terms of software systems. The scope here explores how to design systems to support creativity and collaboration while maintaining a usable system - one which is effective, efficient and satisfies the user. The format models that of similar workshops, where a three-pronged approach is taken to focus on three different types of creativity: exploratory, combinatorial and transformational approaches. Participants describe a story that defines different user roles and expectations. Focus groups help to refine and combine the existing experiences and begin identify ways in which systems can be made more usable, and support more creative ways of working. We consider the broader consideration of usability, including defining and describing different user types and how their views of usability may differ or even be at odds. Our findings show that while existing systems are very good at supporting traditional usability metrics, they may not consider the broader implications of a considered and holistic user experience

Informed consent comprehension in African research settings

ObjectivePrevious reviews on participants' comprehension of informed consent information have focused on developed countries. Experience has shown that ethical standards developed on Western values may not be appropriate for African settings where research concepts are unfamiliar. We undertook this review to describe how informed consent comprehension is defined and measured in African research settings.MethodsWe conducted a comprehensive search involving five electronic databases: Medline, Embase, Global Health, EthxWeb and Bioethics Literature Database (BELIT). We also examined African Index Medicus and Google Scholar for relevant publications on informed consent comprehension in clinical studies conducted in sub-Saharan Africa. 29 studies satisfied the inclusion criteria; meta-analysis was possible in 21 studies. We further conducted a direct comparison of participants' comprehension on domains of informed consent in all eligible studies.ResultsComprehension of key concepts of informed consent varies considerably from country to country and depends on the nature and complexity of the study. Meta-analysis showed that 47% of a total of 1633 participants across four studies demonstrated comprehension about randomisation (95% CI 13.9–80.9%). Similarly, 48% of 3946 participants in six studies had understanding about placebo (95% CI 19.0–77.5%), while only 30% of 753 participants in five studies understood the concept of therapeutic misconception (95% CI 4.6–66.7%). Measurement tools for informed consent comprehension were developed with little or no validation. Assessment of comprehension was carried out at variable times after disclosure of study information. No uniform definition of informed consent comprehension exists to form the basis for development of an appropriate tool to measure comprehension in African participants.ConclusionsComprehension of key concepts of informed consent is poor among study participants across Africa. There is a vital need to develop a uniform definition for informed consent comprehension in low literacy research settings in Africa. This will be an essential step towards developing appropriate tools that can adequately measure informed consent comprehension. This may consequently suggest adequate measures to improve the informed consent procedure.ObjectifLes normes éthiques élaborées selon les valeurs occidentales ne sont peut-être pas appropriées au contexte africain où les concepts de recherche ne sont pas familiers. Cette revue décrit comment la compréhension du consentement éclairé est définie et mesurée dans les cadres de recherche africains.MéthodesDes recherches ont été effectuées sur Medline, Embase, Global Health, EthxWeb, base de données de la Bioéthique Littérature, Index Medicus African et Google Scholar pour des publications pertinentes sur la compréhension du consentement éclairé dans les études cliniques menées en Afrique sub-saharienne. 29 études répondaient aux critères d'inclusion; une méta-analyse a été possible pour 21 études. La compréhension des participants sur les domaines du consentement éclairé dans toutes les études admissibles a été comparée directement.RésultatsLa compréhension des concepts clés du consentement éclairé varie considérablement selon les pays et dépend de la nature et de la complexité de l’étude. La méta-analyse a montré que 47% des participants ont compris la randomisation (IC95%: 13,9 - 80,9%), 48% ont compris le placebo (IC95%: 19,0 - 77,5%), 30% ont compris le concept de méprise thérapeutique (IC95%: 4,6 - 66,7%). Les outils de mesure de la compréhension du consentement éclairé étaient développés avec peu ou pas de validation.ConclusionsLa compréhension des concepts clés du consentement éclairé est faible en Afrique. Il y a une nécessité vitale d’élaborer une définition uniforme pour la compréhension du consentement éclairé dans les cadres de recherche avec un faible niveau d'alphabétisation en Afrique.ObjetivoLos estándares éticos desarrollados basándose en valores occidentales podrían no ser apropiados para emplazamientos Africanos en donde los conceptos de investigación no son familiares. En esta revisión se describe como la comprensión del consentimiento informado se define y mide en un centro de investigación Africano.MétodosSe buscaron publicaciones relevantes sobre la comprensión del consentimiento informado en estudios clínicos en África subsahariana en Medline, Embase, Global Health, EthxWeb, Bioethics Literature Database, African Index Medicus y Google Scholar. 29 estudios satisfacían los criterios de inclusión y el metaanálisis era posible para 21. La comprensión del consentimiento informado por parte de los participantes se comparó directamente en todos los estudios elegibles.ResultadosLa comprensión de conceptos claves del consentimiento informado varió de forma considerable entre países, y dependía de la naturaleza y de la complejidad del estudio. El meta-análisis mostró que un 47% entendía la aleatorización (IC 95% 13.9-80.9%); un 48% entendía el placebo (IC 95% 19.0-77.5%); y un 30% entendió el concepto terapéutico errado (IC 95% 4.6-66.7%). Las herramientas para medir la comprensión del consentimiento informado se desarrollaron con poca o ninguna validación.ConclusionesEn África, la comprensión de conceptos claves del consentimiento informado es pobre. Existe una necesidad vital de desarrollar una definición uniforme para la comprensión del consentimiento informado en lugares con bajos niveles de alfabetización en África

Barriers to accessing psychological treatment for medium to high risk male young offenders

Within the young offender population, rates of personality disorder and mood disorders are considerably higher than both the general and adult offender population. Despite this high level of need and high risk of harm, psychological services within prisons are widely underutilized. Little is known about the barriers to accessing treatment for young offenders. This study investigated barriers to accessing psychological treatment for male young offenders detained in a UK prison. There were 128 participants, aged 18–21. A cross-sectional design compared self-reported barriers and psychological distress for Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) and White young offenders not accessing treatment, as well as those who were. A preference for self-reliance, a lack of trust in the prison system, lengthy waiting times and a general reluctance to talk about emotions were the most commonly cited barriers. BME young offenders not engaged in treatment reported significantly more barriers to accessing treatment than BME young offenders who were engaged in treatment, but both BME groups had equal levels of psychological distress. There was no significant difference between BME and White young offenders in the number of barriers reported, including stigma barriers. Future research should evaluate interventions to increase access for this marginalised population

Are providers prepared for genomic medicine: interpretation of Direct-to-Consumer genetic testing (DTC-GT) results and genetic self-efficacy by medical professionals.

BACKGROUND:Precision medicine is set to deliver a rich new data set of genomic information. However, the number of certified specialists in the United States is small, with only 4244 genetic counselors and 1302 clinical geneticists. We conducted a national survey of 264 medical professionals to evaluate how they interpret genetic test results, determine their confidence and self-efficacy of interpreting genetic test results with patients, and capture their opinions and experiences with direct-to-consumer genetic tests (DTC-GT). METHODS:Participants were grouped into two categories, genetic specialists (genetic counselors and clinical geneticists) and medical providers (primary care, internists, physicians assistants, advanced nurse practitioners, etc.). The survey (full instrument can be found in the Additional file 1) presented three genetic test report scenarios for interpretation: a genetic risk for diabetes, genomic sequencing for symptoms report implicating a potential HMN7B: distal hereditary motor neuropathy VIIB diagnosis, and a statin-induced myopathy risk. Participants were also asked about their opinions on DTC-GT results and rank their own perceived level of preparedness to review genetic test results with patients. RESULTS:The rates of correctly interpreting results were relatively high (74.4% for the providers compared to the specialist's 83.4%) and age, prior genetic test consultation experience, and level of trust assigned to the reports were associated with higher correct interpretation rates. The self-selected efficacy and the level of preparedness to consult on a patient's genetic results were higher for the specialists than the provider group. CONCLUSION:Specialists remain the best group to assist patients with DTC-GT, however, primary care providers may still provide accurate interpretation of test results when specialists are unavailable