Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Site stuff

Join our Innovation Panel to try new features early and help make Mumsnet better.

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

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:
figelnarage · 02/09/2018 06:27

What a drama over nothing

Aaaahfuck · 01/09/2018 22:00

I'd be really interested to see the research when it's done. What is the time frame for it to be at that stage?

FredaNerkk · 01/09/2018 21:27

Fine with me; I don't wish to opt out.

And for the record I agree with those who have pointed out that the researchers went beyond the call or ethics or law to offer the opportunity to opt out.

Informed consent has limits as a governance device for research ethics. In many situations - including this one - it is neither necessary nor sufficient.

Wheresthebeach · 01/09/2018 20:17

Hi Thanks for the heads up - count me out please.

BoneyBackJefferson · 01/09/2018 19:57

youarenotkiddingme

I'm genuinely surprised that you are surprised that some people don't understand social media.

You only have to look at the amount of people that have lost jobs, etc. due to not understanding that its a public forum.

And again they aren't asking for permission they are asking us if we would like to opt out.

PortiaCastis · 01/09/2018 19:57

I'm well aware data farmers do not need permission to steal posts but in this case I'm given the option to opt out of someone somewheres research so I have taken that option

RoseAndRose · 01/09/2018 19:51

With the assurance that the researchers will see no 'back end' data, and be unable to expose NCs, I'm fine with this

SassitudeandSparkle · 01/09/2018 19:51

@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.

youarenotkiddingme · 01/09/2018 19:40

Well yes I don't agree with name calling.
I'm just surprised how many people don't realise that no one needs permission to use what they've written online as it's in the public domain.

BoneyBackJefferson · 01/09/2018 18:56

*should be
opted out names

BoneyBackJefferson · 01/09/2018 18:55

youarenotkiddingme

the only people getting their panties in a bunch are those calling those that have opted names and mansplaining.

IdahoJones · 01/09/2018 18:53

Gosh, is this really a public website? Who knew.

KateMcD451 · 01/09/2018 18:34

I would like to opt out too please. I can't make a proper judgement without knowing the full details so I'm opting out.

youarenotkiddingme · 01/09/2018 18:27

Late to this but also actually surprised at how many people are getting their knickers in a twist.

You do realise your words are already out there in the public domain Confused

IdahoJones · 01/09/2018 18:14

Social structures embed themselves in ethical substrates. Well known in, you know, actual universities.

TufVoyaging · 01/09/2018 18:09

I would like to opt out please

GladAllOver · 01/09/2018 18:04

Literally shooting themselves in the foot for trying to be up front and honest. No wonder most don't say anything. !

Literally shooting themselves in the foot? That sounds a bit drastic. I hope A&E weren't too busy at the time. :)

PortiaCastis · 01/09/2018 18:02

Here's another idea, stop being so damn rude

fontofnoknowledge · 01/09/2018 17:56

Here's an idea for the hard of thinking.

If you are so worried about your ANONYMOUS posts being used in anyway on a PUBLIC forum - THE DONT POST ANYTHING ON THE INTERNET EVER *
*
Do people really have such little understanding of how public forums work that they don't realise that you and I could undertake this research and no one would be any the wiser.

They really didn't have to ask. Pretty good of them that they did.
I however did /do realise this would be a possibility because it's PUBLIC!!

Thanks for asking. I'm quite happy about this as I just assumed that this sort of thing went on all the time with hundreds of different organisation interested in all the topics MN covers.

The irony here is that the particular university who has informed MN what they are doing (and being ethical) will now have all the pearl clutchers opting out... whereas those who just do it, day in day out .. who can publish your words without a by-your-leave without falling foul of any privacy law - get a far bigger sample for their research.

Literally shooting themselves in the foot for trying to be up front and honest. No wonder most don't say anything. !

BoneyBackJefferson · 01/09/2018 15:44

StarWarsHolidaySpecial

Yes I was one of them.

And they still are not asking for informed consent. They are giving the option of opting out.

StarWarsHolidaySpecial · 01/09/2018 15:30

I was responding to all the posts about informed consent and ethics.

BoneyBackJefferson · 01/09/2018 15:20

StarWarsHolidaySpecial

We know that they don't need consent, but they have asked which gives posters that chance to say no.

Why ask if you would ignore the answer (which would be unethical)

StarWarsHolidaySpecial · 01/09/2018 14:05

They do not need consent. They didn't even have to tell MNHQ and MNHQ didn't have to tell us.

Which I imagine they won't bother to do in future and I can't say I blame them.

MaisyPops · 01/09/2018 14:01

Notmorewashing
Any research should have an ethics form submitted I believe (at least it did at all my universities).

Notmorewashing · 01/09/2018 13:50

When I did my dissertation we all used mumsnet for our data and didn’t need to fill in ethnic forms .....

Swipe left for the next trending thread