Dr. [Mike] Shea's net experiment [was: Re: Re:Thad's email address]

[Chris Lewis]

>In article <1991Feb5.223437.14710 at kodak.kodak.com> crassi at kodak.kodak.com (Charlie Crassi) writes:

>Dr. Shea was doing what I understand was a psychological profile
>study of the personality types who try to become as someone who
>replied to his article put it so nicely, "Net.Gods", and their
>minions. 

"Dr"?  Where was the approval from a human experimentation review
committee?  Where was the informed consent?  Where was the analysis
of statistical validity?  Where was the analysis of experimental
worth?

Actively experimenting (as opposed to passively monitoring) without
prior informed consent from the profilee and a review committee is 
professionally unethical *and* highly illegal.  The man should have his
license suspended or even revoked permanently, and perhaps should
even face some criminal charges.

Further, impugning someone's reputation and possibly affecting his
future livelihood for an unconsented-to psychological experiment is
totally irresponsible and reprehensible - he should have his pants sued off.
"Deprival of livelihood" attempts are viewed very dimly by the courts,
and the settlements are often quite large (100's of K and *up*).

Explanations and apologies afterwards are inadequate (not that
"Dr." Shea has made any), and would hardly addresses the fact that
he violated the ethics of his own profession.

>Make it by hard work and education, the American Dream !

"Net.Gods" make it through hard work and service to the net over
many years.  The fact that "Dr." Shea "made it" through lies, deceit
and betrayal of what he had sworn to uphold doesn't fill me with any
great admiration for psychologists (or "The American Dream" for that
matter).
-- 
Chris Lewis, Phone: (613) 832-0541, Internet: clewis at ferret.ocunix.on.ca
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