For 45 years, research at American universities has been supervised by Institutional Review Boards (IRBs), which are committees that ensure scientific research is conducted ethically. At most universities, faculty, students, and staff must obtain approval from the IRB before engaging in any aspect of scientific research. To protect research participants, the IRB scrutinizes research protocols, stimuli, and even recruitment materials (such as emails and flyers). Researchers may not begin their research until they receive the IRB’s blessing. This, however, does not end the IRB’s supervision. Any change in procedures—even trivial changes to wording in a recruitment flyer or a clarification...