A group of researchers recently presented the data on about 70,000 users on OkCupid, an online dating site. The data was gathered by Danish researchers who never communicated with OkCupid or its users about revealing the information.
The researchers collected data from November 2014 to March 2015, which includes the user names, ages, religion, gender and personality traits of users from several countries around the globe. The answers to personal questions that were asked from users to help search for potential partners were also revealed.
Vox noted that the group, comprised of Emil Kirkegard, Julius DaugbjergBjerrekær and Oliver Nordbjerg, operated software that took the information from OkCupid and subsequently uploaded it onto the Open Science Framework, an online forum that promotes the sharing of raw data among researchers to boost transparency and partnerships across social science. According to the researchers, OkCupid contains important information because users answer hundreds or thousands of questions.
The issue involves the data posing very personal information about the users, such as stand on politics and homosexuality, fidelity and sexual habits, among others. The data did not reveal the real names of users, but their location, demographics and other personal information can possibly identify many of them. So far, the data has been downloaded almost 500 times, with some analyzing it.
The researchers who gathered the data may be guilty of breaching the standard ethical code. Some social researchers deem the recent revelation as one of the most grossly unprofessional and unethical data releases in history. The researchers may have also violated the ethical code when they wrote a separate paper detailing how they acquired the data from OkCupid. When they were asked about the growing concerns of revealing the users, they simply ignored these.
PCMag noted that the paper that came with the dataset indicated that all the information found in it are already publicly available, so releasing it merely showcases it in a more useful form.
If Kirkegaard is deemed to have violated the terms of us of OkCupid, or if the site files a legal complaint, the data will be removed, according to Brian Nosek, executive director of the Open Science Foundation, the host of the site. A spokesperson for OkCupid stated that the researchers clearly violated their terms of service, as well as the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act. They are currently delving into their legal options. More updates and details on the OkCupid leak are expected soon.
