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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:
DoryNow · 01/09/2018 13:40

Rulebreaker "Why does it seem odd @DoryNow?"

Purely because of the way its been worded & lack of information, not the way I have dealt with research before & never seen this sort of request on MN before either.

Just MHO, each to their own, I'm sure they will find enough MNers to provide the stats they are after. Smile

RuleBreaker · 01/09/2018 13:34

Why does it seem odd @DoryNow?

GladAllOver · 01/09/2018 13:24

Just to be clear, the uni is just reading the text. Not your name. Not your personal details. It's just a slab of unattributed text.

People are right to be cautious. Most social media grabs far more information about users, and employs it in unscrupulous ways. If you have any concerns about this particular project, don't even think about using Facebook.

MaisyPops · 01/09/2018 13:16

EvilRingahBitch
True enough. I get why they may not be able to give all the details, but then people are free to say 'I've not got enough information to give informed consent so I'll politely decline'.

Usually after doing research where participants haven't been able to give informed consent in advance, they should be contacted after and given the opportunity to have their data withdrawn from the study. It'll be interesting if/how that is done on this project.

It's why I'm not giving consent and saying I want none of my posts or data used. If I can't give informed consent then it's not happening.

BIWI · 01/09/2018 13:12

Sounds like a massive data breach of the future

How so?! All they're doing is taking what people have written on publicly-available threads.

BeyondAnOmnishambles · 01/09/2018 13:09

At the risk of being terminally helpful - has it occurred to them that they will need to include threads from various topic areas both for the control and the variable, or will they intentionally be focussing only on topic areas. (For eg - "Aibu to breastfeed in a swimming pool")

EvilRingahBitch · 01/09/2018 11:23

There’s a big difference between “we’re conducting research, just FYI” and “we’re conducting research on the S&B board on the language used by posters about cosmetic surgery”. The latter would absolutely attract PR interns littering their posts with “confidence”, “positive” and “transformation”. The former can’t.

If you take part in any research with a psychological element it’s routine for the effect they’re looking for to be obscured, and in this case with the obvious potential for deliberate commercial skewing it’s even more essential.

AwdBovril · 01/09/2018 10:55

I couldn't care less if they use my responses, they're welcome to if they want, but I'm very boring & ordinary, I think!

Over what period of time is this study taking place, just out of curiosity? Apologies if you've already mentioned this.

BoneyBackJefferson · 01/09/2018 10:40

GladAllOver

Then you don't understand the basic principle of research.

No need for "you don't understand" its a shoddy argument.

Which is that if candidates are aware of what is being looked for it influences their behaviour. And that invalidates the results.

Then by starting this thread MN have already invalidated the results. Posters now know what is happening and will/could be more guarded in their response to threads.

A standard part of research is ethics and bias, This is somewhat of a concern for anyone researching anything, by using this board I would have thought that several assumptions would have to take place

that the responses are from women.
that the responses comes from a parent.

Without backroom access neither of these things can be verified and even with backroom access there is no guarantee of this.

Iamagreyhoundhearmeroar · 01/09/2018 10:30

Indeed. And it’s not like mn don’t have previous...

Ylvamoon · 01/09/2018 10:29

Sounds like a massive data breach of the future... over and out!

GladAllOver · 01/09/2018 09:48

How can you opt in/out if you don’t have all the details?
I would expect more from university research

Then you don't understand the basic principle of research. Which is that if candidates are aware of what is being looked for it influences their behaviour. And that invalidates the results.

strawberrisc · 01/09/2018 09:33

I couldn’t give a shiny shite.

DoryNow · 01/09/2018 08:44

I'm sure there is nothing sinister going on but I don't like the vagueness of it all, quite happy to help with valid research where I can, when done properly but this all seems very odd.

Please opt me out too- thanks.

littlepill · 01/09/2018 08:43

Yes but the point is we shouldn’t have to guess!

How can you opt in/out if you don’t have all the details?

I would expect more from university research.

BertieBotts · 01/09/2018 08:14

I reckon I could make a pretty good guess as to who it is and what it's about and I don't think it's sinister, in fact I'll be interested to read it.

Rosetintedglass · 01/09/2018 07:23

Id like to opt out thank you.

Cagliostro · 01/09/2018 02:24

I’m intrigued, and am ok with my posts being used (in the unlikely event I say anything interesting enough 😳😂)

WhiskyIrnBru · 01/09/2018 01:37

Opt out

TheSassyAssassin · 01/09/2018 01:13

Doubt I'll be on any relevant threads but would like to Opt Out anyway, thanks!

balljuggla · 01/09/2018 00:05

I would also like to opt out please.

Quangot · 31/08/2018 23:51

Why should anyone need a "reason" to opt out? It should be enough to just say they'd rather not take part.

BoneyBackJefferson · 31/08/2018 22:46

But what are the reasons why you would opt out?

Because I like to know what I am being involved in, and if I don't know I can't give informed consent.

MaisyPops · 31/08/2018 22:04

Please count me out as well. I do not want any of my posts using.
Thank you.
@mnhq do we get confirmation that you've added us to the list of people who have not given consent?

toriap2 · 31/08/2018 22:00

Please do not use any of my comments or data thankyou