Friday, December 29, 2006

Ethics of tracking children's eating habits

Thanks to ARCH blog for highlighting this important issue of ethics brought up in a report by the Institute of Food Research (IFR).

From http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/4683697.stm

Researchers tracked what children were eating by analysing data from "smartcards", used to buy meals. This method meant the information was "99% accurate" but created "ethical problems" over pupils' privacy.

An Institute of Food Research senior nutritionist said:
"...what a school does with that important health information presents society with an ethical issue".

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