Ethical considerations and anonymity

When doing spatial based GPS/RFÌD surveys, the trustworthiness of data collected and thereby the respondents’ patterns of activity can always be questioned. The respondents’ activity patterns could in theory be influenced by the fact that they know their patterns of activity are mapped even if it way/is a complete anonymous registration. This in other types of surveys involving activity patterns covering home and work addresses truly is dependent on the participation of the respondents. The discussion has lead to the formulation of an ethical charter, the so called “Aalborg ethical space survey charter”

“The Aalborg ethical space survey charter”:

In the DMB/DUS research projects you are asked if you want to participate before the registration starts. It is voluntarily to participate and you can at any time back out of the project. If you are a participant you will be asked to wear a GPS/RFID unit e.g. for from a couple of minutes to up to 7 days. The GPS/RFID units will register where you are. If you as a participant does not want to register where you are you can immediately turn off the GPS unit. Are you wearing a RFID tag, you can require the track deleted as soon as your participation ends.

In the DMB/DUS research projects we present different examples of types of analyses for each participant. These examples show the types of analyses we want to accomplish starting from the data we want to collect from each participant. In case of participation in longer surveys participants will sign a contract in which we set out about how and in what connection the registered data will be used and to whom they are available. In case of participation in “on the site” survey a formal acceptation always will be presented for the involved participant.

In the DMB/DUS research project the researchers keep and protect the data and this information is not passed on to third parties who are not mentioned in the contract between participant and the project. This also counts for official authorities or other third parties e.g. the police as long as it doesn’t contradict existing EU and national Danish legislation.

In the DMB/DUS research project we do not give financial compensation for participation. Instead we often draw lots for a number of prizes among the participants who have been chosen to participate in our research projects and who provide data of the best quality.

In the DMB/DUS research projects GPS/RFID units are handed out and we hope that participants will take part in the data collection starting from the entered agreements and will not misuse data or use false identities.

Henrik Harder, Aalborg University, Aalborg 2008