[Air-l] Google is watching ! - a few replies

[Thomas Koenig]

At 22:00 23/05/2004, Charles Ess wrote:
>If anything, the [AoIR] guidelines might have been even more insistent on 
>privacy
>rights, etc. - have a look at the Norwegian NESH guidelines, for example,
>which require researchers to consider not only the possible effects of their
>decisions and actions upon a research subject, but also upon the subject's
>close circle of relationships.

Some quotes from that document:

"Observation in public spaces, in streets and squares, can normally be 
carried out without informing those concerned. However, the registration of 
behaviour using technical aids (camera, video, tape recorders etc.) implies 
that the observed material can be stored, and thus possibly form the basis 
of a personal register." 
(http://www.etikkom.no/Etikkom/Etikkom/Engelsk/Publications/NESHguide#9)

And, I reckon the Usenet is a far *more* public space than "streets and 
squares."

"Research projects which presuppose *active participation* must as a 
general rule only be initiated with the freely obtained and informed 
consent of the participants."
(http://www.etikkom.no/Etikkom/Etikkom/Engelsk/Publications/NESHguide#8 - 
emphasis mine)

Thus, the NESH does *not* demand "informed consent", if you analyse 
publicly observable behavior.

Here is the passage that one might cite in favour of your position:

"The distinction between the private and the public domain may be difficult 
to draw with regard to information concerning behaviour which is imparted 
and stored electronically, for instance on the Internet. When using 
material drawn from such interaction, researchers must give necessary 
consideration to the fact that people's perceptions of what is private and 
what is public communication in such media may vary."

Now "necessary consideration" is suitably wobbly. After all, the email 
protocol is also part of the Internet and I have no problem to qualify 
email as private. It also gives some leeway to treat ICQ or IRC as private.

Thomas