1. Ensuring that citizen science projects adhere to ethical standards and legal requirements

This module offers learners insights into the crucial ethical and legal aspects of citizen science projects. It outlines the relevance of understanding the support resources and infrastructure needed for ethical and legal compliance in CS projects. Real-world cases such as the Health Data Exploration Project and West Baltimore Mosquito Stoppers, both based in the United States, are used to emphasizing the significance of ethical and legal issues. Existing codes of conduct and ethical principles as well as the concept of ethical and legal governance and the need for institutional review board approval are introduced.

Module description: 

What?

How?

Why?

Examples of CS projects that includes an ethical dimension

Introduction to two projects about personal data donation (Microsetta Initiative and the Personal Genome Project) and the West Baltimore Mosquito Stoppers project. 

Demonstration of how ethical issues such as informed consent, privacy, and equity may inform CS projects

Six out of the Ten Principles of Citizen Science from ESCA, which include ethical dimensions

Going over six principles in the Ten Principles for Citizen Science framework produced by ECSA that involved ethical issues: Principle 3, 5, and 7-10.

Showing that ECSA’s ten principles already include ethical aspects.

Encompassing adherence to ethical standards and compliance with laws

Elaboration on the rational approach to ethical conduct and legal compliance: How to foster accountability, transparency, and risk management within organisations or projects to ensure responsible behavior and mitigate legal risks

Enabling learners to contemplate ethical and legal standards, accountability and compliance, and transparency and risk management

Integrating ethical considerations into all aspects of citizen science projects

Presenting elements of an ethical infrastructure for citizen science: Institutional frameworks and Open Science and Responsible Research and Innovation

Allowing learners to consider various aspects of ethical and legal compliance


Slide available in slide deck.