Elements of a New Ethical Framework for Big Data Research

Type Journal Article Author Effy Vayena Author Urs Gasser Author Alexandra Wood Author David O'Brien Author Micah Altman URL http://scholarlycommons.law.wlu.edu/wlulr-online/vol72/iss3/5/ Volume 72 Issue 3 Publication Washington and Lee Law Review Online Date 2016-03-31 3/31/16 Accessed 2016-04-27 19:33:58 Abstract Emerging large-scale data sources hold tremendous potential for new scientific research into human biology, behaviors, and relationships. At the same time, big data research presents privacy and ethical challenges that the current regulatory framework is ill-suited to address. In light of the immense value of large-scale research data, the central question moving forward is not whether such data should be made available for research, but rather how the benefits can be captured in a way that respects fundamental principles of ethics and privacy.