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What are the Ethical Issues Surrounding this Research?
The research conducted by Facebook in conjunction with the University of California was intrusive, and it touched on people’s fundamental freedom and privacy because the subjects were not informed that they were participants. Whenever a research is conducted, the participants are supposed to be informed, and then they are given the liberty to agree to be part of it or not.
Why were People so upset about it?
People were upset with the research because they later learned that their thoughts and feelings had been manipulated without their consent. Their psychological responses were manipulated, making them realize that they were not in control of their daily activities on Facebook during the period of investigation. A major concern is that if material from people’s personal lives can be manipulated without them knowing, then this type of study can be used in other sensitive sectors such as during the electoral process. A voter may be confident of his or her choice, devoid of the fact that the choice was influenced by someone else. Facebook failed to adhere to the standards of treating individuals with respect and serving a common good (Banks et al. 263). Furthermore, the dissatisfaction exhibited by Facebook users stems from the realization that the Internet companies may be using such kind of strategies to influence the activities of their clients in secret.

This is a significant concern for many Internet users, who have their sensitive information out there.
Explanation of the Quote
The quote highlights how the society thinks. It seems there is a consensus among the Internet users and consumers in general that what they do not know they are okay with. If a study such as that conducted by Facebook is done in secret and the results are not made public, then it is okay with many people. Furthermore, research that touches on consumers is acceptable. However, a study for any other purpose is unacceptable.
Work Cited
Banks, Sarah, et al. “Everyday Ethics in Community-based Participatory Research.” Contemporary Social Sciences 8.3 (2013): 263-277.