Should websites be allowed to conduct experiments?

[Inseriousity.]

Facebook has admitted to conducting experiments on its users and found out that people who were given more negative adverts posted more negative statuses. This has caused a lot of backlash about the lack of consent given.

"Let's call the Facebook experiment what it is: a symptom of a much wider failure to think about ethics, power and consent on platforms,"

Or alternatively,

"Based on what Facebook does with their newsfeed all of the time and based on what we've agreed to by joining Facebook, this study really isn't that out of the ordinary. The results are not even that alarming or exciting."

I mention this because OkCupid announced today that they've also conducted experiments on their users - manipulating the love/friend/enemy thing to see if someone would be attracted to someone they should technically not be compatible with - arguing that this is "how websites work."

Do you think that when you sign up to a website, it is "just how websites work" if they conduct experiments on the userbase? What experiments should Habbox do? lolol

[lemons]

i wonder if habboxforum conducts experiments

[FlyingJesus]

Harms me not, bothers me not

[MKR&*42]

So what it's not like they destroyed your life, you choose how you wish to react to seeing those adverts and they chose to react in a negative manner (yes fine their emotions were influenced but ultimately how you react can be controlled consciously). Some things are simply more valid when people aren't aware what's going on and thus don't try to influence the results themselves

There is no issue in this incident specifically, if someone wishes to argue about their data being breached [somehow...?] then I would laugh as they post their entire life on Facebook anyway so?

Idm if they do experiments as long as something like my bank details arent involved but hey the chances are that are 0.1pcnt

[Inseriousity.]

lol there was a thread on habbox ages ago where we all signed up to okcupid (thank god those spam emails finally stopped) and compared whether we were friends or enemies so maybe it was all lies!

[peteyt]

I don't mind this but I think websites should simplify their terms and everything so people know what to expect.

[Lewis]

nothing wrong at all, as long as it isn't extremely serious and life-affecting

[GommeInc]

If you browse content that brings up those sorts of results that can form part of an experiment then you probably shouldn't browse or allow that content in the first place. The experiments seemed to have only used what you allow against you. I think I heard single users were greeted with photos of friends in relationships. They're your friends, get over it.