> Researchers don't have to indicate they are doing an academic study.
Actually, they do. Otherwise it's called deception research , which falls under very specific guidelines.
In general, study participants should be treated decently. Deception research robs them of fully informed consent to participate in the study and is therefore by nature intently ethically over an edge. In specific cases, the benefit of the study's outcomes may offset the harm to its participants. Even then, that harm must be minimised.
Sorry, you're right, that's not the right way to say it. What I meant was deception is wrong regardless of whether it's part of an experiment. If the emails had been sent out under different false pretenses, like criminals probing for weak points, it would have been just as wrong.
Actually, they do. Otherwise it's called deception research , which falls under very specific guidelines.
In general, study participants should be treated decently. Deception research robs them of fully informed consent to participate in the study and is therefore by nature intently ethically over an edge. In specific cases, the benefit of the study's outcomes may offset the harm to its participants. Even then, that harm must be minimised.