Which ethical principle requires that a subject's private information is only shared with consent?

The ethical principle that requires a subject's private information to be shared only with consent is confidentiality. This principle is foundational in research ethics and emphasizes the importance of protecting participants' privacy. Maintaining confidentiality means that researchers must safeguard personal information and disclose it only when they have obtained explicit consent from the participants. This ensures trust between researchers and subjects, allowing participants to feel secure in sharing sensitive information without fear of unauthorized disclosure.

In contrast, the other principles focus on different aspects of ethical research practices. Justice pertains to fairness in the distribution of the benefits and burdens of research. Beneficence involves the obligation to minimize harm and maximize benefits to participants. Autonomy emphasizes respecting individuals' rights to make informed decisions about their participation. While these principles play significant roles in research ethics, they do not specifically address the confidentiality of private information as directly as the principle of confidentiality does.