Ethical aspects of citizen science

Learning Objectives

  • Comprehend the role of citizen science in identifying and addressing scientific problems and societal challenges.
  • Recognize the right of citizen scientists to be acknowledged by academic scientists and society.

Introduction

Citizen and participatory science form a critical component of the broader open science framework, which seeks to make the scientific process more transparent and collaborative. UNESCO recognizes the value of involving citizens in scientific research, not only to advance scientific knowledge but also to enhance public engagement with science (UNESCO, 2021).

The history of citizen science in the life and natural sciences is long and varied, dating back to at least the 17th century when amateurs assisted in collecting natural history observations (Miller-Rushing et al., 2012). This early participation laid the foundation for collaborative data collection efforts, like observing animals, plants, and weather patterns. The advent of digital technologies in the late 20th century revolutionized this field, with the internet and mobile apps facilitating global collaboration among citizen scientists. Platforms such as eBird and iNaturalist gained popularity for documenting bird sightings and biodiversity.

Today, citizen scientists are integral to many natural science projects, contributing significantly to open science objectives like data collection, science literacy, and the dissemination and implementation of research findings. Nonetheless, this involvement presents challenges, such as reconciling the activism of citizen science with the discovery-oriented and objective nature of academic research (Rasmussen & Cooper, 2019). Issues of potential conflicts of interest may arise when citizen scientists are motivated by personal or group interests. Additionally, the increasing participation of citizen scientists in biomedical research raises questions about how established norms of biomedical research ethics apply in this evolving context. Addressing these challenges requires transparency about research goals, openness regarding the roles and interests of all scientists, and ethical handling of open data. The field is rapidly evolving, and many ethical considerations are still being developed and resolved.

References

  1. Miller-Rushing, A., Primack, R., & Bonney, R. (2012). The history of public participation in ecological research. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, 10(6), 285-290. https://doi.org/10.1890/110278
  2. Rasmussen, L. M., & Cooper, C. (2019). Citizen science ethics. Citizen Science: Theory and Practice, 4(1). https://doi.org/10.5334/cstp.235
  3. UNESCO (2021). Recommendation on Open Science. https://doi.org/10.54677/MNMH8546 

Citizen science offers valuable opportunities for all stakeholders involved; however, it raises also new issues regarding research ethics and integrity. For example, some authors have expressed concerns regarding the potential exploitation and instrumentalization of citizen scientists, where their unpaid work is utilized without proper acknowledgement of their contributions. (Resnik, 2019)  Therefore recognizing the contributions of citizen scientists in all phases of research especially in scientific publications is essential to acknowledge their valuable research inputs. In some cases, citizen scientists may qualify for co-authorship if they have made substantial intellectual contributions to the research. This includes contribution to the study design, data analysis, manuscript writing and agreement to be accountable for all aspects of the research. (ICMJE) While traditional academic authorship criteria may not always directly apply to citizen scientists, there are various other ways to appropriately recognize their involvement. Citizen scientists who have contributed to the research but whose contribution does not justify authorship may be considered contributors. In such cases, their role and the specific tasks they performed should be described in the contributorship statement or acknowledgements. It is crucial to communicate openly with citizen scientists throughout the research process and involve them in discussions about authorship and recognition. Clear and transparent communication is important for building trust and ensuring that everyone involved feels appropriately acknowledged for their contributions.

Additionally, data quality and ownership issues have been raised in the context of citizen science as citizen scientists have often not been specifically trained in research ethics and methodologies. The quality of data collected by citizen scientists can be ensured through various methods. For example, researchers can provide appropriate training to citizen scientists on data collection techniques and on the importance of keeping good research records. It is also crucial to ensure that the chosen technological solutions used in citizen science projects are comprehensible and user-friendly. This can help minimize errors or misunderstandings during data collection and improve the overall quality of the collected data. Furthermore, discussions between professional researchers and citizen scientists on questions on data ownership and future data accessibility should be facilitated. This can help establish clear agreements on how the data will be used, shared, and accessed. 

Citizen scientists should also be provided with information regarding research integrity to ensure ethical conduct. This includes informing them about potential financial and non-financial conflicts of interest that citizen scientists may have, such as relationships with organizations sponsoring research or personal interests. (Resnik, 2019) Openly discussing the expectations and motivations of citizen scientists within the research team can help foster transparency and compliance with principles of research ethics.

ROSiE General Guidelines on Responsible Open Science emphasize the responsibilities of different stakeholders in promoting and supporting citizen science:

6.3. Citizen science offers a potential for socially relevant research and innovation, however, the involvement of citizen scientists without proper support can potentially be an ethics and integrity challenge. Policymakers, Research Funding Organisations, Research Performing Organisations, and researchers are responsible for promoting and supporting citizen science. This is done specifically by ensuring support throughout the research lifecycle, through the provision of adequate funding, training, flexible grant structures that accommodate extended timeline research, and encouraging collaborations and building synergies between researchers and other stakeholders. 
6.4. Researchers working with citizen scientists should ensure transparency and open communication to diminish unavoidable power imbalance. 
6.5. Policymakers in collaboration with the scientific community should develop targeted strategies on how to involve diverse societal actors in citizen science and other public engagement activities.
6.6. The research community should ensure that existing knowledge about citizen science approaches is shared so that researchers and citizen scientists learn from each other.

To provide a framework for conducting citizen science projects the European Citizen Science Association (ECSA) has developed the 10 principles of citizen science. Before moving to the next step, please, read: ECSA (European Citizen Science Association). (2015). Ten Principles of Citizen Science 

References

  1. ICMJE. Defining the role of authors and contributors. 
  2. Resnik, D.B. (2019). Citizen scientists as human subjects: Ethical issues. Citizen Science: Theory and Practice, 4(1). https://doi.org/10.5334/cstp.150 
  3. The Embassy of Good Science: “Authorship criteria”
  1. Balázs, B., Mooney, P., Nováková, E., Bastin, L., Jokar Arsanjani, J. (2021). Data Quality in Citizen Science. In: The Science of Citizen Science. Springer https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-58278-4_8
  2. Frigerio, D., Richter, A., Per, E., Pruse, B., & Vohland, K. (2021). Citizen science in the natural sciences. In: The Science of Citizen Science. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-58278-4_5