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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:
Redteapot67 · 06/09/2018 00:55

Ps do NOT include my posts

Redteapot67 · 06/09/2018 00:55

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.
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

feathermucker · 05/09/2018 21:26

Do NOT include my posts

Orangepear · 05/09/2018 20:43

Not for me thanks.

mogloveseggs · 05/09/2018 16:57

Opting out thanks.

Leonnie · 05/09/2018 09:58

Thanks Smile

EvilRingahBitch · 05/09/2018 09:19

Here you go Leonnie
www.mumsnet.com/info/acronyms

Leonnie · 05/09/2018 09:16

Hi all, i am new to mums net. Could some one please tell me what DD and DS means ? Obviously i wouldn't put my childs name, but i am really curious what this means. Darling Daughter/Darling Son ? Smile. tia

HowamIgoingtocope · 05/09/2018 06:48

Please dont include my posts . thanks

Bloodylucky · 05/09/2018 02:47

I’m a bit unhappy that the op from MNHQ says researchers from A University. Singular. Yet it’s now been stated as two universities.

BoneyBackJefferson · 04/09/2018 21:56

ShirleyPhallus
Hilarious amount of frothing on this thread for something that’s available in the public domain anyway

Again the only frothing is by those frothing at posters opting out

Why do so many mumnsetters believe this forum is private?

The thread is getting a bit long but has anyone actually said that apart from those complaining about those opting out?

Lweji · 04/09/2018 14:12

This thread alone would make an interesting case study. Wink

BIWI · 04/09/2018 13:33

The (more than basic actually) facts have been outlined several times on this thread.

GladAllOver · 04/09/2018 13:06

How are we supposed to opt in/out without any basic facts?!

As has been stated several times, knowledge of the study would influence who opts in or out and so skew the results. Thus making the results invalid.
It isn't really that hard to understand.

Lweji · 04/09/2018 12:31

Is it Trump?

datadrivenjournalism.net/news_and_analysis/do_we_believe_everything_that_we_read_about_donald_trump

We found it. Nobody on those threads was upset, IIRC.

Grin
Orchiddingme · 04/09/2018 12:20

One of the things I dislike about Mumsnet actually is the fact that research such as requests for surveys and interviews by researchers at universities are all shoved in one 'survey' topic that no-one ever goes in. It's a real shame we haven't devised a way to connect up those who would like to do research (often for a voucher or entered in a prize draw) and have something to say on the issue in hand, with those who are often government or NHS funded to explore the issue. Researchers even from universities who can prove their credentials and their source of funding aren't allowed to post asking for participants on the main threads at all, and if they do (e.g. an UG asking by mistake) they get sent to the dead topic where no-one ever looks...(called something like NRP surveys). My experience before it was set up like this, many moons ago, was that Mumsnet was full of people who'd like the opportunity to have their say on topics like homework for primary school children (which is a current survey in that topic which I bet no-one has ever seen) or Brexit or all manner of issues.

So- researchers doing content analysis tend to just use the material anyway, and anyone wanting to do interviews/surveys just looks elsewhere for their population even though often Mumsnet is a great source of active interested individuals on parenting matters.

MNHQ
RowanMumsnet · 04/09/2018 12:14

@littlepill

If it’s all so public and worthy and “our there”, why have Mumsnet failed to tell us WHICH university it is, and who the researchers are?

Surely that is as courteous as telling us that research is being conducted in the first place!

How are we supposed to opt in/out without any basic facts?!

I’ve asked 3 times now.

Without us posting, there wouldn’t be any frigging Mumsnet

Hello - sorry for not answering this sooner. The researchers are from two separate universities and we can't see a way to specify their institutions without making it possible for posters to work out what the study is about, because they've published on this topic together before. Similarly with their names - it will make it obvious what the topic is.

OP posts:
littlepill · 04/09/2018 11:38

If it’s all so public and worthy and “our there”, why have Mumsnet failed to tell us WHICH university it is, and who the researchers are?

Surely that is as courteous as telling us that research is being conducted in the first place!

How are we supposed to opt in/out without any basic facts?!

I’ve asked 3 times now.

Without us posting, there wouldn’t be any frigging Mumsnet

ShrodingersSturdyPyjamas · 04/09/2018 11:34

Hilarious amount of frothing on this thread for something that’s available in the public domain anyway

Hilarious frothing about the frothing.

Thank goodness you came on to clarify.

Lweji · 04/09/2018 11:28

When conducting an anonymous study you don't want self-selected opt-ins or self-selected opt-outs, because either might skew the results.

This is an issue will all studies that involve informed consent.
Nothing new for researchers.

This thread and this opt out thing is useless. It looks to me like an overreaction to the new data protection regulations.

The opt out option given as part of a thread is not ethical, anyway. Pps should opt in, not out. But I'm sure it will have already been pointed out before (can't be arsed to read it all).

IdahoJones · 04/09/2018 11:12

Aye, they cheer up a dull day of writing critiques of someone else's epistemology Grin

Lweji · 04/09/2018 10:45

Academics have been analysing MN posts for years. Just not for research. Grin Wink

MountainsPlease · 04/09/2018 10:41

I assume that market researchers are already using whatever I say as I’m posting on a public forum! No problem with it here and feel like MNHQ have been more than nice with the heads up.

GladAllOver · 04/09/2018 08:37

I'll bet MNHQ wish they had never agreed to this study. Next time a uni asks, they'll be told "Do what you like. Just don't tell us!"

ShirleyPhallus · 04/09/2018 07:26

Hilarious amount of frothing on this thread for something that’s available in the public domain anyway

Why do so many mumnsetters believe this forum is private?

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