Articles

The Insights Association Code of Standards and Ethics is a living document, reflecting both the enduring principles of responsible research and the changing realities of the insights profession.

Each year, IA’s Standards Committee reviews the Code to identify areas that may need clarification, refinement, or updating. In 2026, that review was relatively limited in scope, focused primarily on ensuring that the Code remains clear, consistent, and current, resulting in limited targeted revisions.

See the revised 2026 IA Code of Standards and Ethics.

The next review will go much further.

Looking ahead: Help shape the 2027 review

In 2027, the Standards Committee will conduct a more comprehensive, in-depth review of the Code, examining not only individual provisions and language, but also whether the Code adequately addresses emerging practices, technologies, and ethical questions affecting the profession.

That review will benefit greatly from the experience and perspective of IA members.

We want to hear where the Code is functioning well, where greater clarity may be needed, and where developments in the marketplace may warrant new or revised guidance. That could include issues arising from artificial intelligence and automation, evolving research methodologies, data collection and use, participant engagement, transparency, professional responsibility, or other areas members encounter in their day-to-day work.

If there is a provision of the Code that you believe should be clarified, updated, expanded, or reconsidered, we encourage you to tell us. Just as importantly, we welcome suggestions about emerging ethical or professional issues that the Code does not currently address.

Please send your suggestions and feedback to help guide the review to enforcement@insightsassociation.org.

What changed in the 2026 revisions

The latest revisions are modest, but each is intended to improve the clarity, usability, and relevance of the Code for insights professionals and organizations.

Among the changes are:

1. Terminology clarified

• The document replaces "research participant(s)" with "research subject(s)" consistently throughout.
• References to laws, regulations, and codes, instead of specifying different jurisdictions, have been simplified throughout to “applicable laws and regulations.”

2. Preface and Purpose redrafted

• The Preface's mission language now frames the Insights Association's role around “promoting the highest standards of ethical conduct, professional integrity, and research quality,” adds explicit mention of safeguarding research subjects and personal data, and references navigating “evolving methodologies, technologies, and data environments.”
• The Purpose section was reworded but kept the same core intent: protecting the interests of members, clients, and research subjects.

3. Interpretation restructured

• This section now spells out that Code adherence is a condition of membership and annual renewal, and that members must cooperate with enforcement processes.
• A new statement notes that the Code does not exist in a vacuum and members may be subject to other jurisdictions' codes/guidelines.
• The section no longer states that "the more restrictive standard governs" in a conflict between the Code and law, and dropped the clause about interpreting the Code alongside other guidelines.

4. Definitions (Glossary) updated

• Harm: The definition removes "unsolicited personally-targeted marketing messages," moving it to instead be an example under Non-Research Activity.
• Research: The definition has broadened to cover research about "products, services, or ideas," not just individuals/organizations.
• Synthetic Data: This definition has expanded significantly to name specific examples (digital twins, synthetic augmentation/sample boosting, synthetic personas/respondents, and synthetic panel data) and now says synthetic data "simulates" rather than "mimics" real-world data.
• Vulnerable Individual: This has been retitled "Vulnerable Individual/Population" and broadened to explicitly cover populations, not just individuals.

5. Fundamental Principles tightened and expanded

• The personal data collection principle has been tightened to require that data be "necessary" (not just consented to).
• A new fifth principle has been added: delivering research/analytics that are "fit for purpose," applying appropriate methods and judgment in the interest of clients, research subjects, and the public.

6. Section 3 (Passive Data Collection) restructured

• This has been split into two labeled subsections: "Personal Data" and a new "Sensitive Personal Data" subsection with its own requirements (like special consideration for sensitive data collection, validating data accuracy).

7. Section 4 (Artificial Intelligence) substantively rewritten

• This section adds a "Researcher must:" lead-in and reframes each requirement as an action item.
• The AI disclosure requirement now calls for disclosing model "version" (instead of the former "model-accuracy").
• A new explicit requirement has been added: "Oversee the use and outcomes of AI applications."
• Bias-evaluation language has been reworked to focus on how biases "may affect research-specific tasks."

8. Enforcement clarified

• The Standards Committee has added a new paragraph early in 2026 to clarify that the Association does not adjudicate individual financial or legal disputes between companies/individuals, and that the Standards Committee will only get involved when evaluating broader patterns of industry-relevant conduct.

Next steps

Taken together, these updates do not represent a fundamental change in IA’s ethical or professional standards. Rather, they are part of the ongoing work of keeping the Code understandable, practical, and aligned with the way market research, insights, and data analytics are conducted today.

The Standards Committee’s work continues in-between reviews. We share ongoing illustrative examples and explanations in applying the Code to insights in IA’s Code in Action series.

Once again, member input will help inform the Standards Committee as it begins the 2027 review and considers how the Code should evolve to continue serving the profession. Make sure you send recommendations and feedback to enforcement@insightsassociation.org.