[Air-L] privacy and protection

['Gail Taylor]

Has the student received IRB or similar type of institution approval to conduct a research study of this nature? I am surprised that an academic adviser would approve a study that has the potential to put the life of a student and/or research subjects in danger, as well as their own due to student relationship issues. I also found myself wondering whether the adviser has counseled the student to seek legal advice about doing a study that has the potential to not only endanger lives but also compromise the well-being of institutions, including those of members and other shareholder whose interests could also be compromised as part of the research process. 

If the student has institution approval to conduct the study, Ingbert Floyd and others have given sound advice on how to cloak the identity of the student and research subjects. I would, though, still proceed with caution keeping in mind that  all code can eventually be cracked and identities traced by those who have the know-how and are intent on uncovering the identities of those perceived to be security threats to private and/or public interests.

Gail
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Gail D. Taylor, M.Ed.
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Human Resource Education Ph.D. Student
Library & Information Science Instructor
LIS202 Information Technology and Organizations Fall 2008 Semester

"Technology enables man to gain control
over everything except technology." -- 
Unknown