Hi Cathy I think you are right to be suspicious - although I am having trouble putting my finger on exactly what it is about this story that has set my alarm bells ringing. I think part of the issue is the 'insight mining'. Firstly, as you point out, it is not clear to users that they are being used in this way. Secondly, I would want to ask what is the 'insight' to be used for? I suspect it will be sold - and probably to companies selling infant feeding products. If that is the case, your interview is being used as bait to attract mothers with feeding concerns to this website - there to have their responses mined for 'psychological motivators'. I would not be comfortable with this either. There is a fundamental principle in ethics that holds that people should not be used as a means to an end. Persons are ends in themselves. Given that these sites look like they exist to help mothers but in fact exist to help the owners to gain insight into consumer behaviour, I have a feeling this strays into the land of using people (and their responses) as a means to an end. Sounds like you have really good ethical instincts, Cathy. I have learned (from bitter experience) that it is a bad idea to ignore the alarm bells that ring in my head. Best Nina Berry BA/BEd(Hons) DipArts(Phil) PhD Candidate Australia *********************************************** Archives: http://community.lsoft.com/archives/LACTNET.html Mail all commands to [log in to unmask] To temporarily stop your subscription: set lactnet nomail To start it again: set lactnet mail (or [log in to unmask]) To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet or ([log in to unmask]) To reach list owners: [log in to unmask]