Cybersecurity issues in citizen science

Abstract

As Citizen Science projects become more wide-spread and global, we must pay attention to cybersecurity issues that can emerge. Sharing data is fundamental to Citizen Science projects, and that requires attention to protecting privacy. This issue is exacerbated if participants use common technologies, e.g., cell phones, that are used for other purposes and may be subject to cybersecurity vulnerabilities. Cybersecurity issues can arise during recruitment, by which social media is a prevalent tool, to Citizen Science projects in that bad actors can solicit input into malicious and false projects. Furthermore, the results of Citizen Science projects may provide foundations for policy and legislation; thus, integrity must be maintained, and bad actors prevented from manipulating data and/or results. Governance of Citizen Science projects must include attention to cybersecurity issues, regardless of their scope and scale. The exploitation of cybersecurity vulnerabilities is often the result of ethical lapses. Just as scientists respect science research ethics, so must citizens who undertake scientific research. In this paper, we will share a taxonomy that identifies how research ethics are represented and brought to life in 21st century Citizen Science projects.