June 5, 2008
Northeastern U. Researchers Tracked International Cellphone Users Without Their Knowledge
An unusual study of cell phone users conducted by researchers at Northeastern University tracked the location of cellphone users for six months without their knowledge—raising ethical concerns among some observers.
The study was conducted outside the U.S., in a country researchers only identified as an industrialized nation. Researchers found that most of the 6 million cellphone users in the study rarely ventured more than 20 miles from their homes.
The researchers used cellphone towers to determine the location of the users. They worked to protect the privacy of users studied. Even so, tracking cellphone users without their knowledge would be illegal in the U.S., according to a report in the Associated Press.
An editorial published in the journal Nature along with a report on the study, heralds the benefits of using technology to give social scientists the kind of detailed data that usually only exists in the hard sciences. “It’s not an overstatement,” said the editorial, “to say that these tools are fostering a whole new type of social science—with applications that go well beyond the conventional boundaries of the field.”—Jeffrey R. Young
Posted on Thursday June 5, 2008 | Permalink |Comments
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Way to go. Some one in that research group figured out why corporations use third world countries as dumping grounds. No US oversight. Ethics, ethics, ethics. No wonder or latest generation lacks any concerns over cheating and/or plagiarism. Look who they have for role models; our elected officials and now members of the Higher Ed. community.
— Dr. Bill Jun 5, 02:55 PM #
Did this study have the approval of Northeastern’s IRB? It doesn’t matter where they did the study, this is human subjects research as far as I am concerned.
http://www.research.neu.edu/research_integrity/human_subjects/review_board/
— John Jun 5, 06:28 PM #
It bothers me somewhat that so many of my fellow faculty members are quick to lambaste the Bush administration for spying on terrorist phone calls within the US, while these same researchers are going overseas and doing something identical under our comfortable blanket of academic freedom.
— Dr. Haywood at Northeastern U. Jun 5, 11:35 PM #
I agree with Dr. Haywood. Practice what you preach, folks. I s’pose this is considered research so it is entirely out of the ambit of spying. But then again, I’m only a J.D. so what do I know about anything?
— S.S., J.D. Jun 6, 08:28 AM #
If you read the supplemental information to the study (available from Nature’s website), the authors report that the cell phone users examined were in a European country. (It’s not much, but it narrows it down a little.)
— John Jun 6, 09:23 AM #
Mr. Hidalgo (a co-author of the study), according to the linking article informs us that:
“In the wrong hands the data could be misused, But in scientists’ hands you’re trying to look at broad patterns…. We’re not trying to do evil things. We’re trying to make the world a little better.”
Interesting Concept? —- The Doers are the ones who should do the deciding (provided they are scientists)
Mr. Hidalgo also vide the accompanying linked article informs us that the design of transportation networks can be enhanced by ascertaining peoples travel patterns (via Cell phone tracking) —- I am impressed —- guess the transportation depts. had no idea about public transport ridership, or road usage (vide congestion, repair, etc.) —- nor did they know about the people’s travel patterns associated with work commutes, etc.
Additionally, I wonder if the cell phone users travel had anything to do with the existing networks —- I for one am prone to use existing travel networks (based on convenience), —- I do not use nonexistent networks in my travel patterns, and am incapable of creating new ones —- even when walking the dog, I stick to the sidewalks, for the idea of traversing through private property, to create a more desirable travel pattern —- sends a shiver up my spine. Well I guess you learn something everyday —- including the possibility that spread of contagious diseases, can be tackled by knowledge of cell phone users travel patterns —- am guessing that in such cases cell phone users will be asked to alter their travel patterns.
Oh! Well I should consider getting the cat a cell phone —- I do not walk him —- would be helpful to know his travel patterns, just in case …
Mr. Hidalgo also states that: “The results also tell us something new about ourselves, including that we tend to go to the same places repeatedly” —- guess I never realized I repeatedly went to the same places for work, groceries, visits to friends, relatives, dog walks, shopping… Oh! well I now know.
— zahid Jun 6, 12:42 PM #
“The study relied on a sample from anonymized, aggregate billing data from cell-phone users in an unidentified European country. The Institutional Review Board at the U.S. Office of Naval Research, which funded this study as part of a larger pool of research into human mobility patterns, reviewed the proposal in June 2007 and determined that it did not involve human subjects.”
http://www.neu.edu/nupr/news/0508/Ethics_Barabasi_Rese.html
Interesting:
-The funding came from the Office of Naval Research
-Their IRB determined that this did not involve “human subjects”.
Huh? It involved large numbers of human subjects—as evidenced by the title of the study: human mobility.
— John Jun 7, 04:04 PM #