Unethical practices in social science

Social scientists, under pressure from their employers and peers, have adopted practices which lead to the underreporting of dangerous social trends. They have failed to investigate adequately the nature of such hazards in the process of further developing knowledge about societies and cultures. There is little peer control of irresponsible intervention in minority cultures with the associated introduction of exotic norms, artefacts and modes of behaviour. Social scientists have lent their skills to covert operations designed to subvert existing governments, especially in developing countries, or to maintain repressive regimes. Their skills have also been extensively employed by commercial and political interests to manipulate public opinion, especially through advertising campaigns and appropriate disinformation.