Ethical Implications in Building Longitudinal Data Infrastructures

The chapter highlights the importance of principles guiding open science in the specific case of data production for social sciences through the use of probabilistic and non-probabilistic panels. It offers guidance for researchers, institutions, and policymakers to conduct research that shares knowledge with communities in ways that are morally sound and socially responsible. By adhering to core values, practitioners of open science can build trust, foster collaboration, and advance knowledge transparently, inclusively, and with accountability. This is crucial across all research contexts, especially in projects with significant collective value and social impact. Therefore, ethical review processes, appropriate handling of research data, and compliance with legal frameworks and professional standards play a central role in planning and implementing initiatives of broad scientific, social, and political relevance. The chapter examines these aspects through a comparative analysis of several European longitudinal studies, namely the LISS Panel (Netherlands), the UK Household Longitudinal Study (UKHLS), and the German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP), as well as through the Italian experience of the FOSSR project (Fostering Open Science in Social Science Research), which integrates considerations of responsibility and governance into the design of large-scale data infrastructures.