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+#+TITLE: School project : Ethics in Research 101
+#+AUTHOR: Crystal
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+#+EXPORT_FILE_NAME: ../../../articles/ethics.html
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+#+HTML_LINK_HOME: https://crystal.tilde.institute/
+#+HTML_LINK_UP: https://crystal.tilde.institute/
+* Preface:
+While this article addresses the issue of Ethics in Research as a whole, we opted to focus on a more adequate aspect for our study field, AKA : Computer Science Research and Medical science (for the sake of getting the point across), as treating every edge-case and nuance is impossible without loosing the attention of the reader! The Authors of this project are mentioned at the bottom of the page, alongside the last update date. *Enjoy your read!*
+
+
+* Introduction:
+#+BEGIN_QUOTE
+"Ethics, the moral principles that govern human behavior, and research, the systematic investigation of phenomena to generate new knowledge, are intrinsically intertwined. At the heart of research lies the pursuit of truth and understanding, but this pursuit must be guided by ethical considerations to ensure the integrity and well-being of all involved. Ethical conduct in research involves respecting the rights and dignity of participants, maintaining honesty and transparency in reporting findings, and adhering to established ethical principles and guidelines. This symbiotic relationship prompts us to wonder: How can we balance the quest for truth in research with our ethical obligations to safeguard participants and maintain transparency?" -- Someone, probably
+#+END_QUOTE
+
+Or in other, simpler words, Ethics are fundamental for any type of research, job, or even action. They are the unspoken rules that govern human interactions, the rules that sets Right from Wrong.
+
+
+* But Why:
+
+That's a very good question, and to answer that, we would use "Reasoning by the absurd", let's suppose that Ethics don't matter in any field of research (though for the sake of this example, we will take the field of Healthcare and Pharmaceutical research ):
+#+BEGIN_QUOTE
+Meet Alice, a 24 years old girl who has a minor in Biology, with a slightly above average social media following. She enjoys skiing, reading Harry Potter books, and spread medical misinformation online in her spare time. Most of the time her content is seen for what it is - humorist and sarcastic -, all sorts of wild claims like "Feeding chocolate to your dog will make them live longer" to "Pour Hydrochloric Acid in your eyes for Blue eyes", basically unbelievable things, but from time to time, some wild cases slip-by, and if the reader isn't aware of the type of content Alice makes, they would believe it. Here comes an unsuspecting reader named Bob. Bob is the type of people to do little to no research about what they hear online, while not specifically ugly, he cares about his looks, and he is insecure about the color of his eyes. And one day, he stumbles across Alice's post about pouring HCL into your eyes can turn them blue, and this specific post is presented in the style of a credible research paper. We all know what happens next...
+#+END_QUOTE
+One of the first rules of ethics is in "The Hippocratic Oath"^{[[https://www.nlm.nih.gov/hmd/topics/greek-medicine/index.html#case1][source]]} or at least, modern versions of it, which state "First, do no harm", which clearly isn't the case here as Bob is now blind.
+
+
+( All resemblance to real life characters is purely coincidental, and this story is in fact, fictional )
+
+* Who?
+Now that you are convinced on why we need to be Ethical, you may ask "What about other people ? Like Alice. People who didn't come across this article". In this case we as a society opted to having a "Hierarchic authority", or in other words, people who judge if your research is ethical or not. Here comes *Ethics Committees*. And their role is fundamental, but again, for the sake of Keeping it Short and Simple. Here are their main functions :
+
+- *Protection:* Ethics committees safeguard participants' rights and
+  well-being.
+
+- *Oversight:* They ensure research follows ethical standards and
+  regulations.
+
+- *Minimization:* Committees minimize risks to participants through
+  thorough review.
+
+- *Consent:* They ensure informed consent procedures are clear and
+  adequate. ( We will come back to this point in two sections )
+
+- *Balancing:* Ethics committees weigh various interests to address
+  ethical dilemmas.
+
+- *Credibility:* Oversight enhances the trustworthiness of research
+  outcomes.
+
+- *Compliance:* They ensure research meets legal and regulatory
+  requirements.
+
+- *Engagement:* Committees engage communities, fostering transparency.
+
+- *Support:* They provide ongoing monitoring and guidance to
+  researchers.
+
+- *Education:* Committees offer resources and training
+
+While this isn't a foul-proof solution, it does work if we assume non-corrupt committees, and minimal slip-ups.
+
+* What Are the Core Principles of Research Ethics?
+
+- *Autonomy:* Respecting participants' right to make informed decisions
+  about their participation in research.
+
+- *Beneficence:* Maximizing benefits and minimizing harm to research
+  participants.
+
+- *Non-maleficence:* Avoiding causing harm or suffering to research
+  participants.
+
+- *Justice:* Ensuring fairness in the distribution of research burdens
+  and benefits, including equitable access to research opportunities and
+  outcomes.
+
+As much as those rules are evident and considered common-sense. We see a lot of violations nowadays, a direct result of not only the inheritant evil of the human soul, but also it's greedy nature.
+
+* How Do We Ensure Informed Consent in Medical Reseach ?*
+
+- *Disclosure:* Provide participants with clear and comprehensive
+  information about the research purpose, procedures, risks, and
+  benefits.
+
+- *Comprehension:* Ensure that participants understand the information
+  provided, including any potential risks or implications of
+  participation.
+
+- *Free Will:* Ensure that participants freely choose to participate
+  in the research without coercion or undue influence.
+
+- *Capacity:* Assess participants' capacity to provide informed consent,
+  particularly in cases involving vulnerable populations or individuals
+  with diminished decision-making capacity.
+
+
+This Consent matter is a "hot topic" these last few months, and is even debatable since the rise of Artificial Intelligence.
+Artificial Intelligence needs data to be trained on, and there is nothing better than the internet for that, hundreds of thousands of GigaBytes of data is present in the internet, and it's rising at astronomical speeds. And so, the main concern in this case, is AI tools tailored towards generating images are using Copyrighted artwork made by artists online, without prior *consent*, or code written by open-source devs with restrictive licenses to train *programming AI's*, or even just plain text data/works of literary fiction.
+
+
+For more references, look online for controversies surrounding *MidJourney*, *Github Copilot*, and *GPT4* respectively.
+* Is It Ethical to Use Animals in Research?*
+
+- *Ethical Considerations:* Using animals in research raises ethical
+  concerns about their welfare, suffering, and rights.
+
+- *Justification:* Researchers must justify the use of animals based on
+  the potential scientific or medical benefits of the research.
+
+- *Regulation:* Ethical guidelines and regulatory frameworks govern the
+  use of animals in research to minimize harm and ensure humane
+  treatment.
+
+*** Examples:
+
+  - Medical Research: Animal studies have contributed to the development
+    of vaccines, treatments, and surgical procedures that benefit both
+    humans and animals.
+
+  - Drug Testing: Animal models are used to assess the safety and
+    efficacy of pharmaceutical drugs before human trials.
+
+  - Basic Science: Animal research helps scientists understand
+    fundamental biological processes and diseases, leading to advances
+    in medicine and veterinary care.
+
+- *Unethical Example:* In some cases, animals may be subjected to
+  unnecessary pain or suffering, or their use in research may not be
+  justified by the potential scientific or medical benefits. For
+  instance, conducting experiments that inflict severe pain or distress
+  on animals without adequate justification or humane consideration
+  would be considered unethical.
+
+
+- *Alternatives:* Researchers are encouraged to explore alternative
+  methods, such as computer modeling, tissue culture, and non-animal
+  testing techniques, to reduce the use of animals in research wherever
+  possible.
+
+** For an example that is relevant to computer science, replace animals with "Millions of Artwork from non-consenting artists" and Medical research with "Training Large Artificial Intelligence Models"
+
+* What Are the Challenges of Ethical Conduct in International Research?
+
+- *Cultural Differences:* Ethical norms and values vary across cultures,
+  posing challenges in determining universal ethical standards for
+  international research.
+
+- *Power Differentials:* Power imbalances between researchers from
+  high-income countries and participants from low- or middle-income
+  countries can lead to exploitation and unfair treatment.
+
+- *Informed Consent:* Ensuring meaningful informed consent may be
+  challenging in international research settings due to language
+  barriers, low literacy rates, and cultural differences in
+  understanding research concepts.
+
+- *Resource Disparities:* Disparities in resources and infrastructure
+  between research institutions in high-income and low-income countries
+  may raise concerns about fairness and equity in research
+  collaborations.
+
+- *Data Sharing and Ownership:* Issues related to data sharing,
+  ownership, and intellectual property rights may arise in international
+  research collaborations, requiring clear agreements and protocols to
+  address these concerns.
+
+- *Regulatory Compliance:* Compliance with diverse regulatory frameworks
+  and ethical guidelines across different countries adds complexity to
+  international research, requiring researchers to navigate multiple
+  layers of bureaucracy and ensure adherence to relevant regulations.
+
+- *Community Engagement:* Engaging local communities in international
+  research projects and respecting their cultural norms, values, and
+  priorities is essential for ethical conduct but may be challenging due
+  to language barriers, mistrust, and historical legacies of
+  exploitation.
+
+- *Capacity Building:* Building research capacity in low- and
+  middle-income countries to ensure that research is conducted ethically
+  and with integrity requires long-term investment and collaboration.
+
+- *Ethical Review:* Harmonizing ethical review processes and standards
+  across different countries and institutions to ensure consistent and
+  rigorous oversight of international research poses logistical and
+  procedural challenges.
+
+* What Are the Ethical Implications of Emerging Technologies in Research?
+
+- *Privacy:* Concerns about protecting personal data and preventing
+  unauthorized access.
+
+- *Informed Consent:* Ensuring participants understand complex research
+  implications.
+
+- *Equity:* Addressing disparities in access and benefits across
+  populations.
+
+- *Regulation:* Adapting regulations to keep pace with rapid
+  technological advancements.
+
+- *Ethical Use:* Balancing benefits and risks to ensure responsible
+  research conduct.
+
+- *Global Governance:* Collaborating internationally to establish
+  effective ethical standards and guidelines.
+
+* Conclusion: What Lies Ahead for Research Ethics?
+
+Looking ahead, research ethics faces the challenge of adapting to
+evolving technologies and globalized research practices. Priorities
+include ensuring equitable access, maintaining transparency, and
+fostering trust. Collaboration, interdisciplinary approaches, and a
+commitment to ethical conduct will be key in navigating the future of
+research ethics responsibly and effectively.
+
+* But wait... there is a Loophole
+One could make a totally ethical, scientifically correct and validated research, while at the same time spreading misinformation. How you may ask ?
+
+
+And these ways are everywhere, using dark patterns, small fonts, double-sensed phrasing. And Many Many more unethical ways to either sell a product, serve an ideology, an agenda, or just to sabotage a competitor. One example is how medicine Advertisements always put health disclaimers in a small font, bright color on a bright background, and on the corner of the screen just to mislead the potential buyer.
+
+
+* (Re)Sources
+
+
+1. National Institutes of Health (NIH) - Office for Human Research
+   Protections (OHRP)
+
+2. World Medical Association (WMA) - Declaration of Helsinki
+
+3. The Belmont Report
+
+4. The Nuremberg Code
+
+5. Ethical guidelines from professional organizations such as the
+   American Psychological Association (APA) or the American Medical
+   Association (AMA)
+
+6. Scholarly articles and books on research ethics by authors such as
+   Beauchamp and Childress, Deborah C. Poff, or Tom L. Beauchamp and
+   James F. Childress.