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Comment by yowlingcat

4 years ago

> Applied strictly, wouldn’t every single A/B test done by a product team be considered unethical?

Assuming this isn't being asked as a rhetorical question, I think that's exactly what turned the now infamous Facebook A/B test into a perceived unethical mass manipulation of human emotions. A lot of folks are now justifiably upset and skeptical of Facebook (and big tech) as a result.

So to answer your question: yes, if that test moves into territory that would feel like manipulation once the subject is aware of it. Maybe especially so because users are conceivably making a /choice/ to use said product and may switch to an alternative (or simply divest) if trust is lost.