News - Criticism looms over Facebook's newsfeed emotion study

[HEXUS]

Some say the emotion-manipulation experiment was disturbing, possibly dangerous.

Read more.

[tomthum]

Vote independence for Scotland
get rid of the conservative elite, and labour = Tories

[AlexKitch]

Vote independence for Scotland
get rid of the conservative elite, and labour = Tories

What does that have to do with the price of cheese?

[crossy]

Vote independence for Scotland
get rid of the conservative elite, and labour = Tories

Another one of Salmond's brown shirts found their keyboard? See, I can be offensive and irrelevant too!

What does that have to do with the price of cheese?

In an independent Scotland, all cheese will be free...?


Getting back to the article, there's two lessons to be learned:
1. Read those terms and conditions carefully!
2. crossy is very glad that he's not on Facebook.

[M_Taylor40]

What does that have to do with the price of cheese?

After a very quick search, the price of cheese originating from Scotland may increase if there's import/export duty applied. But from the list I found (www.taste-of-scotland.com/cheese.html) I don't think I'll be affected that much, prefer a strong mature cheddar myself and there's plenty of brands to choose from...

Sorry I couldn't resist!

Back to the topic though, I'm not surprised by Facebook, they have always had the attitude that they can do what they want and don't care if it's legally/morally right or wrong.

The only reason I still have a Facebook account is to get extra entries in the Hexus competitions! Seriously, that's the only reason I haven't closed my account!

[Attila the Bun]

In an independent Scotland, all cheese will be free...?

Really! That seems like a proper solid reason to have independence, none of the politics twaddle.

Getting back to the article, there's two lessons to be learned:
1. Read those terms and conditions carefully!
2. crossy is very glad that he's not on Facebook.

I have a facebook account purely to stay in touch with my Canada living daughter...as with all other web sites my brain has been blanking all ads.

[crossy]

I've just had a second thought about this, anyone care to check my logic?

1. You can join Facebook at age 13;
2. Legal consent age in the UK is 16;

So, it is possible that some teenagers in the UK have been "experimented" on as part of this study, (affecting emotions surely counts as "medical research") ,yet in order to do this legally wouldn't the researchers have to obtain the permission of their parents/guardians?

(This posting has been checked and has been certified to be free of cheese)

[The Hand]

The closest thing to a "social network" I belong to is Steam and maybe XBL. I can't help but feel slightly vindicated by my decision in not joining Facebook etc.

[CK_1985]

Interesting point Crossy, and I'm inclined to agree with you.

Although in any case, surely it must be illegal to carry out psychological experiments on anyone without their consent?! I'm all for academic research, but this sounds like it went WAY over the line.

Also, I absolutely DO NOT buy the excuse that in the T's & C's you consent to give up your data for research purposes. They're not conducting research on existing data here, they're using research to create data in real time. That is definitely NOT in the T's & C's

[Defiant]

I'm more hacked off at them editing what my friends are posting my feed so that I don't see them because it doesn't 'generate' more content and ie more money for them if the updates are not emotionally charged enough. T*****s