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MNHQ

Heads up: some academic research taking place

664 replies

RowanMumsnet · 30/08/2018 16:53

Hello

Some researchers from a UK university are going to be collecting posts from some boards on Mumsnet over the next few weeks. They will be looking only at posts published from this point onwards. Selected posts will be anonymised (ie usernames will not be stored anywhere), and all processes will be GDPR-compliant.

EDITED BY MNHQ: to be clear, NO private or back-end data is being shared with the researchers and they will have NO access to any extra information about users. They will only be analysing published posts, ie things that are already in the public domain.

The researchers will analyse the text of the anonymised posts as part of their study. The full text of these anonymised posts will not be reproduced in the study - no pieces of text that make you or your situation identifiable will be published.

Once the study is complete, the database containing the anonymised posts will be destroyed.

Obviously we'd love to tell you what the study is about - but we can't because it will skew the results. However once the research has been completed we'll share it with you and you can read all about it. The academics running the study are people we've worked with before, and the topic is one we think lots of MN users will agree is interesting and useful.

IMPORTANT BIT: if you DO NOT want your posts to be considered for inclusion in the research, please shout here on this thread or email us on [email protected]

And of course let us know if you have any questions and we'll see if we can answer them.

Thanks

MNHQ

OP posts:
PortiaCastis · 06/09/2018 17:03

I wonder why people cant accept that others DO KNOW the site is public but on this occasion we've been given the option not to be included in somebody's research so we've taken that option as we have a choice for once.

Lweji · 06/09/2018 16:30

I do sometimes wonder about posters on MN.

Me too. Smile

GladAllOver · 06/09/2018 16:30

It would be highly amusing if this became one of the threads plagiarised by the Daily Fail.
"Mumsnet contributors object to university stealing their posts."

BIWI · 06/09/2018 16:28

Well yes, of course, @Lweji!

I do sometimes wonder about posters on MN.

Lweji · 06/09/2018 16:21

unless you've over-shared of course

In which case, by posting on an open public forum, you've given implicit consent for that information to be, ahem, available to anyone in the public.

Anyone who doesn't realise this, well... be more careful with how much you share in future.

BIWI · 06/09/2018 16:00

Apologies - crap formatting there!

BIWI · 06/09/2018 16:00

^This isn’t Gdpr compliant as you are passing on personal data without telling us in the first instance our data will be used that way
Although posts will be anonymous- anonymous data can still be personal data. ^

All they are doing is using people's posts. That's all. There is no personal data. How on earth could your anonymous posts be construed as personal data? They might be personal, depending on what you've said, but no-one will be able to work out it's you (unless you've over-shared of course).

SwearyG · 06/09/2018 15:33

I’d also like to opt out, thank you.

MNHQ
RowanMumsnet · 06/09/2018 14:54

@Lweji

they concluded that MNers swear most when talking about their husbands/partners...

LTB probably accounts for half.

Out of curiosity, did the people who analysed the Trump threads (see earlier post) ever ask anyone?

I don't think they did actually for that one, although Professor Pedersen has done quite a few analyses of Mumsnet posts over the years and she's given us the heads-up about a few of them (as with this study, we didn't give them any access to anything private/back-end, they were just analysing what they could see on the public boards). We don't think GDPR materially changes the situation but it feels like it's changed the public conversation, and this time around our thinking was that - as we'd been given the heads up - informing MNers, while not strictly necessary, was in the spirit of the new regulations.

OP posts:
Datun · 06/09/2018 13:57

I don't talk about parenting stuff on here, really, so I'm probably not one of the posters they want to analyse. Nonetheless I'd like to opt out please.

I would much prefer it if no one was allowed to replicate stuff on here.

But since that's not possible, at least I can limit it on this one occasion.

Lweji · 06/09/2018 11:51

they concluded that MNers swear most when talking about their husbands/partners...

LTB probably accounts for half.

Out of curiosity, did the people who analysed the Trump threads (see earlier post) ever ask anyone?

Momzilla82 · 06/09/2018 11:36

Count me out. Thanks

MNHQ
RowanMumsnet · 06/09/2018 11:23

@Jux

I reckon it's about swearing. Do we swear more when talking about baby names of when.we talk about Trump. Obvious, innit? Grin

The Economist did actually analyse Mumsnet forums to this effect a few months back (without asking or telling us) - IIRC they concluded that MNers swear most when talking about their husbands/partners...

OP posts:
Lweji · 06/09/2018 11:04

I'm going to guess an excel sheet. Grin Wink

Iamagreyhoundhearmeroar · 06/09/2018 10:31

What method are they using to screen out posters who declined to take part?

MNHQ
RowanMumsnet · 06/09/2018 10:25

@SassitudeandSparkle

Rowan, this was my original post.

@RowanMumsnet could you confirm if MNHQ will be passing the data to the researchers to analyse via software or similar process - not simply reading the forum? You mention a database, it sounds more likely that it is the data processing aspect that requires permission.

Oh right sorry - no, we're not using any software or any process at all to send the posts on to them - the researchers are just reading the forum.

OP posts:
SassitudeandSparkle · 06/09/2018 10:17

Rowan, this was my original post.

@RowanMumsnet could you confirm if MNHQ will be passing the data to the researchers to analyse via software or similar process - not simply reading the forum? You mention a database, it sounds more likely that it is the data processing aspect that requires permission.

MNHQ
RowanMumsnet · 06/09/2018 09:53

@Redteapot67

Lewjl - the researchers clearly need further info from mumsnet for their research - otherwise they wouldn’t need to tell Mn they are doing it and could have just accessed the threads online to do their research

Sorry sassitude I must have missed the notification.

We are not passing anything at all to the researchers - no 'further info' whatsoever other than the list of usernames who have opted out.

They didn't need to tell us they were doing it - they did so out of courtesy.

OP posts:
SassitudeandSparkle · 06/09/2018 08:34

I agree Redteapot I've pointed that out twice on the thread already and tagged Rowan on the thread to ask her but no response. I doubt we'll get one.

Redteapot67 · 06/09/2018 08:30

Lewjl - the researchers clearly need further info from mumsnet for their research - otherwise they wouldn’t need to tell Mn they are doing it and could have just accessed the threads online to do their research

danigrace · 06/09/2018 07:05

This thread has started my day with a chuckle!!

Looking forward to seeing the research, really interesting.

Lweji · 06/09/2018 06:39

Although posts will be anonymous- anonymous data can still be personal data.
I would be very wary you’ve had the right legal advice on this.
If you want to use posts for research you should specifically tell people this when they sign up

Well, that was amusing to start the day.

Do you think your MN posts are secret or protected by an invisibility cloak to anyone who wants to analyse them?

Anyone who s worried about this and anonymity have been living in lala land.

Jux · 06/09/2018 03:20

Oh, and I give consent. I swear loads

Jux · 06/09/2018 03:19

I reckon it's about swearing. Do we swear more when talking about baby names of when.we talk about Trump. Obvious, innit? Grin

Redteapot67 · 06/09/2018 00:56

Oh and the research is clearly on feeding choices

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