Navigating the Risks of Open Research Data: Insights from Recent Study

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Photo by sakareeya, courtesy Adobe Stock.

The promise of open science lies in its potential to foster transparency, collaboration and innovation. Yet, as researchers including University of Arizona Associate Professor of Information Science Andrea Thomer highlight in a recent post on the London School of Economics and Political Science’s LSE Impact Blog, this openness also brings risks of misuse that can harm individuals, skew findings and undermine public trust in science.

Andrea Thomer

Andrea Thomer, Associate Professor, College of Information Science, The University of Arizona.

The post, based on a study published in the Journal of the Association for Information Science and Technology (JASIST), identifies seven distinct forms of research data misuse. Co-authored by Irene V. Pasquetto, Zoë Cullen, Thomer and Morgan Wofford, the study examines how data misuse can arise and offers actionable strategies for preventing harm while preserving the benefits of openness.

From analytical errors to privacy violations and exploitation, the risks are significant. For instance, during the COVID-19 pandemic, unverified infection and vaccine data spread widely, fueling misinformation. Similarly, wildfire data released by NASA was used to create a viral map that many misinterpreted, leading to confusion about the crisis’s scale. These examples illustrate the challenges of ensuring open data is used responsibly.

Key takeaways include:

  • Types of Data Misuse: Misrepresentation, breaches of privacy and uncritical use of biased data are among the most concerning forms of misuse.
  • Preventive Strategies: Recommendations include investing in professional digital curation, improving metadata and documentation, and fostering ethical research practices to mitigate risks.
  • Balancing Openness and Protection: While some degree of misuse may be unavoidable, proactive management and clear communication about potential harms can reduce risks without stifling the advantages of open science.

The researchers emphasize the importance of collaboration between scientists, data professionals, policymakers and community stakeholders to navigate the tensions between openness and protection.

For a detailed exploration of these insights, read the full blog post on the LSE Impact Blog. Or access the study, “What is research data ‘misuse’? And how can it be prevented or mitigagted?”, directly in JASIST.
  

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