Defining Data Ethics in Library and Information Science

Ana Roeschley1[0000-0002-4748-9216] and Malak Khader1[0000-0002-6908-6223]

1 University of North Texas, Denton, TX 76207, USA
[email protected]

Abstract. In the library and information sciences (LIS), data ethics is an area of
increasing focus. The purpose of this study is to answer these questions and com-
prehensively define data ethics in the LIS fields based on the diverse body of
literature on the topic. Through an integrative literature review, we found four
overarching themes in LIS literature on data ethics: privacy, research ethics, eth-
ical ecosystems, and control. Additionally, these four themes gave us an oppor-
tunity to create a comprehensive definition of data ethics in the library and infor-
mation science fields.

Keywords: Data Ethics, Privacy, Research Ethics, Ethical Ecosystems, Data

Control.

1 Introduction

In the library and information sciences (LIS), data ethics is an area of increasing focus.
However, while there is plentiful literature on data ethics in library and information
science, data ethics is a broad inter-disciplinary topic and there is a need for an under-
standing of the topic’s scope in the LIS fields. What is precisely meant when the phrase
“data ethics” is used in LIS literature? What are the main themes within the scholarly
literature on data ethics in the library and information sciences? The purpose of this
study is to answer these questions and comprehensively define data ethics in the LIS
fields based on the diverse body of literature on the topic.
Through an integrative literature review, we found four overarching themes in LIS
literature on data ethics: privacy, research ethics, ethical ecosystems, and control. These
findings allow us to contextualize key concerns for the field including data use and
misuse, ethical behavior, protocols for data use, and conceptualizations of information
societies. Additionally, these four themes gave us an opportunity to create a compre-
hensive definition of data ethics in the library and information science fields.

2 Background

The amount of data that is easily accessible continues to increase each day. With it, the
amount of data about individuals that is made accessible through their everyday lives
also continues to rapidly increase. When the Cambridge Analytica scandal broke in
2018, it became evident how easily consultant groups like Cambridge Analytica and
others could use and misuse vast amounts of personal data for profit [1]. In the case of
Cambridge Analytica, private data was used in the hopes of swaying a major election
[2]. While this misuse of personal data brought serious questions regarding the im-
portance of ethical data use to light, LIS researchers and practitioners have long grap-
pled with the ethical ramifications of data use and abuse [3], [4], [5], [6]. However, to
this day, there has been no clear stated definition of data ethics within the library and
information fields.

3 Method

We used “data ethics” as the search term in the databases Web of Science, Academic
Search Complete, JSTOR, ProQuest, LISA, and Library Literature & Information Sci-
ence Retrospective. We additionally delimitated our search to sources that were English
language and scholarly and peer-reviewed articles from the library and information sci-
ence discipline. We systematically went through the titles, abstracts, and keywords of
every article to ensure that data ethics were relevant to each article. Articles were then
identified and selected if both of the keywords “data” and “ethics” appeared in the title,
abstract, or subject terms. After compiling all the articles that fit the criteria, we were
able to gather a total of 350 applicable articles. We did not limit our results by a certain
time period, however the first instance of the term “data ethics” in the literature availa-
ble to us was found in 1976. It’s important to note that our delimitation to scholarly and
peer reviewed literature excludes landmark data ethics pieces like the HEW Report.
Once we had our final list of articles compiled, we used grounded theory coding [7] to
analyze the articles’ abstracts in order to determine the common ethical issues the au-
thors presented in each article.

4 Results

After categorizing the issues described in the literature into groups, we found that there
were four major themes: privacy, research ethics, ethical ecosystems, and control. We
found that these themes have evolved over time and reflect the ethical challenges faced
by LIS scholars and practitioners. The literature was synthesized and a comprehensive
definition of data ethics within LIS contexts which is explained in the article discussion.

4.1 Theme 1: Privacy

Privacy is unsurprisingly a central concern for LIS scholars researching data ethics. The
right to privacy is a core value in both the library and information fields at large and is
reflected in professional codes of ethics. In the United States, the American Library
Association’s (ALA) Code of Ethics third tenant is as follows, “We protect each library
user's right to privacy and confidentiality with respect to information sought or received
and resources consulted, borrowed, acquired or transmitted” [8]. Similarly, in the inter-
national information science field, the Association of Information Science and Tech-
nology’s (ASIS&T) Professional Guidelines state that it is an information scientist’s
responsibility to “uphold each user’s, provider’s, or employer’s right to privacy and
confidentiality” [9]. Yet, while ethical provisions and guidelines for privacy have been
put into place throughout the LIS professions, concerns surrounding privacy are prev-
alent in literature on data ethics in LIS [10], [5], [6], [11]. With rising cybersecurity
concerns surrounding the USA PATRIOT Act and proliferation of private third- party
vendors, LIS literature has seen a number of post-2001 papers on how patron privacy
can be protected [12], [13], [14].

4.2 Theme 2: Research Ethics

Research ethics is another interrelated area of concern that has arisen in the wake of
technological advances. While the advent of freely available online data has brought
recent attention to intellectual property violations, this has long been an issue of im-
portance for LIS scholars. Our findings show that academic integrity is an important
area of focus within the research ethics theme [15], [16], [17]. How researchers use,
misuse, represent, and misrepresent their research data is a significant cause of study
within the research ethics theme. Plagiarism and faking of data within scholarly com-
munication is a concerning trend that implicates not just authors but journal editors as
well [18].
Additionally, research ethics regarding the use of data in LIS include the ethical
ramifications of using existing data that has been gathered through unethical means,
ethically archiving sensitive data used for research, and informed consent in the era of
social media [18], [20]. Throughout the literature in this area of LIS data ethics, we
found articles addressing research methods, challenges to research, and ethical failures
in research. This theme highlights articles by LIS scholars who are working towards
understanding and improving how research in the field can be done more ethically. As
Hernon states, this work is done to “advance the discussion of research and to expand
the research base in library and information science to deal better with a host of issues,
such as library services for important populations such as people of color” and people
with disabilities [21].

4.3 Theme 3: Ethical Ecosystems

An ethical ecosystem is an environment in which one would expect to see a common
standard for ethical behavior. This usually consists of groups working within the same
virtual or physical setting. Ecosystems include, but are not limited to, professional en-
vironments such as business, medical, academic, and government sectors. They also
include virtual communities, like social media platforms [22], [23]. Recently, there has
been a strong focus on the ethical behaviors of social media websites [24]. Many social
media platforms use application programming interfaces (APIs) that share information
with outside parties [25]. Ethical ecosystems exist in many forms, whether they are
explicitly defined through codes of ethics or tacitly understood by their members [26],
[27]. These enforcements of ethical ecosystems can create an ethical “checks and bal-
ance” system among each other to ensure that every party maintaining the minimum
level of ethical standards.
4.4 Theme 4: Control
The fourth theme discovered is “control”. For the purposes of this project, control ad-
dresses the security of data and legal limitations regarding data. Here we see the issues
of governance, copyright, intellectual property, intellectual freedom, storage and shar-
ing of information, government data, data protection, cybersecurity, big data, and data
manipulation and integrity. The rise of big data has led to many innovations, including
some that could help experts track health populations and understand information about
crisis behavior change. Some of these innovations offer great value and insight; how-
ever, there is major concern with these innovations because large amounts of personal
data are being captured, controlled, and stored without clear standards or understand-
ings of individual rights to personal data. Ensuring that personal data is properly pro-
tected, used, and shared is a priority [28], [29]. Concerns with control, specifically data
control, are heavily influenced by the notion of privacy, especially when considering
big data. Organizations, corporations, and other entities are using private, personal in-
formation about those who access their services and are turning them into points of data
for their benefit [30].

5 Defining Data Ethics in Library and Information Science

Contexts

Through the exploration of ethical concerns regarding privacy, research ethics, data
control, and the establishment of ethical ecosystems, LIS researchers also question how
data ethics are perceived in different contexts [31], [32], [33]. LIS researchers not only
interrogate data ethics, but they also ask how cultural, technological, and social contexts
affect perceptions and concerns regarding data ethics. Through these examinations of
data ethics within specific contexts, the LIS literature on the topic strives towards nu-
anced understandings of both individuals and the information worlds they occupy.
In the 1990’s LIS scholars [3], [4], [34], [35] asked how understandings and appli-
cations of principles regarding data ethics need to be adapted for an online environment.
Similarly, Williams moved this conversation forward as the new media environment
began to proliferate LIS research and education in the early 2000’s. Through a heuristic
self-study, Williams posited that, “If teachers or researchers, or anyone for that matter,
find themselves operating unethically, perhaps they need some form of inner work”
[36].
Contextual and nuanced understandings of data ethics continue to be placed at the
heart of the literature in the present era as well. Similar to Williams [36], Battley [27]
also advocates inner work and reflexivity. Battley describes the ethical challenges faced
by archival scholars and practitioners who are working towards and researching com-
munity engagement and participation. She states that “research methodologies them-
selves can be problematic. The ethno-centric, culturally charged nature of Western ac-
ademic research has been highlighted by researchers within communities with a history
of colonization” [27]. Battley argues that participatory research and reflexivity are pos-
itive steps towards a more ethical research process.
Continuing the vein of examining how context affects understandings of data ethics,
Ess [37] explores how ethical pluralism can help us understand how culture impacts
perceptions of ethics. As he explains, we need to understand both Eastern and Western
viewpoints on topics like privacy to better understand how to approach these complex
topics with nuance. Ess argues that how we view data ethics is tied to the societal con-
texts within which we exist. Ethical pluralism can help library and information scholars
and professionals in both understanding and working with communities that have been
previously been marginalized, underrepresented, and misrepresented by the LIS field.
Gardiner, McDonald, Byrne, and Thorpe [38] explain why a more pluralistic approach
is necessary in the LIS field as they discuss the tensions between established Western
colonial approaches to intellectual property and the approaches taken by Indigenous
communities. They explain that Western approaches to scholarly communication and
Western approaches to regulating intellectual property are often in direct conflict with
the wishes and practice of Indigenous communities. Thus, Gardiner et al. argue that
context must be taken into consideration when LIS professionals work with data sets
created by Indigenous communities [38].
In addition to societal contexts, personal contexts affect how data ethics are inter-
preted. In the exploration of privacy, Mai argues that understandings of information
philosophy and ethical approaches to information should be pragmatic. Mai explains
that the context of “the ‘privacy situation’ shapes our understanding of privacy given
the specifics of the situation” [39]. This finding is supported by Camarero, Antón, and
Rodríguez who in a study on e-book piracy found that “readers’ personal traits may
also shape their attitude towards piracy and towards the price of e-books” [28].
Personal, societal, cultural, and professional contexts all affect how data ethics are
perceived within LIS literature. These contextual perceptions help to inform how we
develop and implement codes of ethics. In a review of 35 international LIS codes of
ethics and standards, Koehler and Pemberton (2000) found that overall, regardless of
context, the protection of user privacy was highlighted across the board as a core ethical
value [26]. However, in a study examining the implementation of privacy policies,
Magi explains that there is still room “for professional library associations to focus on
the practical problems that emerge as librarians try to follow the code of ethics” [40].
Fleischmann, Hui, and Wallace also explore the role of codes of ethics within LIS con-
texts. They explain that we need to “consider how these codes of ethics can be devel-
oped not from the top-down, but rather from the bottom up” [41]. Such a bottom-up
approach can aid us in highlighting practical applications of codes of ethics in everyday
professional situations.
Through this overview of the literature, we can see that within the LIS realms, data
ethics is a complex and nuanced topic. However, a comprehensive definition of data
ethics within LIS can be seen as follows: Data ethics are the moral principles that guide
the study and use of data within the LIS fields. Data ethics guide LIS scholars and
practitioners to further the development of their work while simultaneously ensuring
that individual privacy and confidential data are not compromised as a byproduct of
this LIS work. Data ethics guide LIS researchers to maintain the integrity of their re-
search through the protection of data and prevention of data manipulation. Data ethics
are established to safeguard the spaces, communities, cohorts, and other LIS ecosys-
tems within which data is created, accessed, and studied. Data ethics guide decisions
regarding who is in control of data, who should be in control of data, and who should
make decisions regarding how data is preserved and accessed in the future. These per-
ceptions of data ethics are understood within their own cultural, social, personal, and
professional contexts. Data ethics are enforced within LIS through the establishment
and continued refinement of codes of ethics.

6 Conclusion

Our findings show that the LIS literature on data ethics is dominated by articles that
examine the realms of privacy, research ethics, data control, and ethical ecosystems.
Additionally, LIS literature on data ethics is also concerned with how we approach
ethical questions within the LIS fields. We found a number of articles that work to
define how LIS scholars and practitioners understand and implement data ethics. Syn-
thesizing these works with the established four categories can bring us towards a com-
prehensive definition of data ethics in LIS.

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