Whether it's couched as research or operations, people don't want to think that they're being manipulated. So when they find out what soylent green is made of, they're outraged. This study isn't really what's at stake. What's at stake is the underlying dynamic of how Facebook runs its business, operates its system, and makes decisions that have nothing to do with how its users want Facebook to operate. It's not about research. It's a question of power.
As usual, great insight from danah boyd.