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> The framing of A/B testing as a "silent experimentation on users" and invoking Meta is a little much. No. Users aren't free test guinea pigs. A/B testing can
by mschuster91 8mo ago
> The framing of A/B testing as a "silent experimentation on users" and invoking Meta is a little much.
No. Users aren't free test guinea pigs. A/B testing cannot be done ethically unless you actively point out to users that they are being A/B tested and offering the users a way to opt out, but that in turn ruins a large part of the promise behind A/B tests.
- bcrl 8mo agoPlease name a computer science program that has an ethics component. Yes, I wish software developers were more like actual engineers in this regard.
- gnabgib 8mo agoAll Computer Engineering & Systems Engineering programs in Canada require two ethics components (once at graduation, once at P.Eng)
- ryandrake 8mo agoSadly, in the USA, I believe most engineering ethics classes are optional electives, and it shows when you look at the graduating student body today.
- saltcured 8mo agoYeah, and if you don't already have an IRB, your organization probably isn't ready to be doing such things responsibly...
- mschuster91 8mo agoMeta has had an IRB for well over a decade (following a scandal where they used their users as lab rats) and that didn't stop them from doing any of the BS they did ever since.