LANGUAGE IN INDIA

Strength for Today and Bright Hope for Tomorrow

Volume 23:11 November 2023
ISSN 1930-2940

Editors:
         Sam Mohanlal, Ph.D.
         B. Mallikarjun, Ph.D.
         A. R. Fatihi, Ph.D.
         G. Baskaran, Ph.D.
         T. Deivasigamani, Ph.D.
         Pammi Pavan Kumar, Ph.D.
         Soibam Rebika Devi, M.Sc., Ph.D.

Managing Editor & Publisher: M. S. Thirumalai, Ph.D.

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Navigating Ethical Research: A Study on Automatic Authorization in
Informed Consent

Neelu, Ph.D.

Abstract

In a survey conducted in the UK in June 2021, 61 per cent of participants admitted that they always accepted all cookies when they opened a website and it asked them to accept cookies (statista.com, 2023). Most users across the world show similar behaviour on the Internet. Does it mean most online users exercise autonomy when they consent to data tracking? If they don't, should mere authorization to allow tracking be the parameter to explain informed online consent? The Autonomous Authorisation (AA) model (Faden and Beauchamp, 1986) argues that the condition for informed consent includes 1. Understanding 2. Intentionality 3. Absence of control and 4 Authorization. In the online context, when users authorize apps and sites to track their personal data, do they understand what they are authorizing and how the data collectors may use their data? Andre et al. (2018) argues that while the AA model for online facilitates more accessible consumer choices and enhances well-being, the model's efficacy for online informed consent may undermine their sense of autonomy and could undermine the user's well-being. Weighing on the views of Andre et al. 2018, the proposed paper reviews the suitability of the AA model for online informed consent. It seeks to incorporate the ideas from other models of consent and behavioural theories to adapt the AA model to the online data collection context.

Keywords: Autonomous Authorization Model, Research Ethics, Informed Consent, Online Data Collection,

Introduction

In a survey conducted in the UK in June 2021, 61 per cent of participants admitted that they always accepted all cookies when they opened a website and it asked them to accept cookies (statista.com, 2023). Most users across the world show similar behaviour on the Internet. Does it mean most online users exercise autonomy when they consent to data tracking? If they don't, should mere authorization to allow tracking to be the parameter to explain informed online consent?

Driven by the push for speed and scale, businesses often collect data at the expense of consumers' privacy concerns (Kelly and Rowland, 2000). Most Internet users have to relinquish their control over information when performing commercial transactions. Businesses argue they must be allowed to collect both non-identifying and personally-identifying information to meet consumer's needs and personalize their offerings (Stead and Gilbert, 2001). Privacy is considered an essential individual right, and by invading it without the participant's consent, we perform an intolerable act as per Rawl's Theory of Justice. All involved in collecting and storing data must understand that information gathering without consent is unethical, irrespective of any justification, like the universality of such practices, the argument about the utility of the data, or the justification that both consent seekers and participants hold equal power. Even though existing policies on consumer data collection may favour some groups, they threaten these groups and research in the long run.

This is only the beginning part of the article. PLEASE CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE IN PRINTER-FRIENDLY VERSION.

Dr. Neelu
Assistant Professor (Management and Humanities Department)
Indian Institute of Information Technology, Lucknow
Email: neelu@iiitl.ac.in
Mob: +91 9968638268
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