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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:
GladAllOver · 22/09/2018 21:45

Or how many times the same posts are ignored.

IdahoJones · 22/09/2018 21:40

Maybe the research is how many times the same points keep getting repeated in posts.

Justwanttoweeinpeace · 22/09/2018 18:53

This thread is extraordinary. What makes anyone think that this site isn't analysed all the time by all sorts of companies for a million different reasons, many of which you may not agree with.

MN can't possibly control all of this activity and given that this is a public forum, why should they?

If you don't want your public comments on a public forum being read by all and sundry, why are you here?

tealover99 · 22/09/2018 12:40

Opting out, don't include my posts, thanks.

GladAllOver · 21/09/2018 18:26

onlyoakfurnitureare you referring to the awfully embarrassing grammatical errors?

Or the fact that they call themselves onlyoak but they sell other wood as well?
They are off my buying list for sure.

BIWI · 21/09/2018 13:31

Oh bore off spammer!

Oh, and creating a profile for yourself doesn't make you any less of one.

Jux · 21/09/2018 12:35

onlyoakfurniture are you referring to the awfully embarrassing grammatical errors?

onlyoakfurniture · 21/09/2018 10:24

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

MeltingWax · 21/09/2018 08:24

I have a theory that this is actually the aim of the research project...getting MN to post this and then analyse the responses. There is no other 'research project'. This is it. Grin

AuntieStella · 21/09/2018 07:35

If it's analysing how subject matter influences vocabulary selection or some other aspect of fitting language to situation, it'll not really be much use in itself (which applies to a lot of research in linguistics!)

Look ing at trends in how people use language is nter sting in itself, and might inform those who wish to refine certain communications. So it could get picked up be someone who works in advertising or PR, but - as pointed out repeatedly - that sort of analysis of what people post publically goes on all the time.

delphguelph · 21/09/2018 02:14

Wonder what the research will be used for?

IdahoJones · 20/09/2018 17:21

I've already done it.

Jux · 20/09/2018 17:17

It would be interesting if there was some research which compared random posts by people who didn't consent and random posts by people who didn't care. Random posts across the site that is. Because no one needs consent to do that.

That would be amusing Grin

GladAllOver · 20/09/2018 17:06

No one needs your consent.

Boulty · 20/09/2018 11:19

No thanks, no consent ask for first.

No consent given at all for any posts or any replies to posts of others.

GladAllOver · 20/09/2018 10:24

For my feeling, there is a sort of ownership of posts you write.
You can own those feelings of course, but you don't own the words you write. They belong firstly to Mumsnet, and secondly to anyone who wants to copy them off the Web.

Magicroundabout321 · 19/09/2018 22:24

@YourVagesty

I think linguistics students use forum posts a lot to analyse language.

--
Ah, just read that the user names won't be mentioned. Data protection got more complex this year of course.

Magicroundabout321 · 19/09/2018 22:20

@GladAllOver

Probably true, but it should be done openly when somewhere like a uni is doing it.

I think Mumsnet were right to announce it and let people say they didn't want their posts used if that's what they feel.

In any case, I do expect the uni will reference the posts using Mumsnet & the user's forum name.

For my feeling, there is a sort of ownership of posts you write.

GladAllOver · 19/09/2018 20:26

Please make room on that desk for my head!

How the fuck can anyone think they own something they post on the Web?

It's there for everyone, including the Daily Fail, to use as they wish. And there is sod all you can do about it.

YourVagesty · 19/09/2018 20:26

I don't know why people are getting upset about this. Given that it's been announced, I highly doubt the research is sinister in any way. I've used forums (not MN, not that it makes a difference) to research language patterns across borders. My uni had zero issue with this given that it wasn't exploitative at all and everything was anonymous. Plus it was deathly dull to anybody who doesn't care about linguistics.

Magicroundabout321 · 19/09/2018 20:04

Yes, the last one.

I hadn't seen it when I joined.

(I do admit I wasn't looking because I don't mind them using my posts).

marcopront · 19/09/2018 19:59

Or this?

Heads up: some academic research taking place
marcopront · 19/09/2018 19:57

Do you mean like this?

Heads up: some academic research taking place
Magicroundabout321 · 19/09/2018 19:53

BIWI

Look, they can use my posts for whatever they like, but maybe Mumsnet should include a copyright statement when new people join.

OK, say you publish a book with lots of your own lovely comments. It's available for anyone in the world to read - and use as they see fit. Then someone comes along and copies all your stuff. Is it really to use as they see fit, or is there some form of copyright? The uni will reference of course, but internet copyright is not as clear cut as you make out - not ethically, at least.

BIWI · 19/09/2018 19:26

Posters' permission should have been asked before agreeing to allow the uni to go ahead with this

No, no no! Anything you post on Mumsnet is publicly available. How difficult is that to understand? You're not taking part in bespoke research. You're not being asked to respond to a quesitonnaire or survey.

They're simply analysing what has been posted on this forum. Which is available for anyone in the world and their wife to read, and use as they see fit.

If you don't want your words of wisdom to be used by anyone else, then don't post.

Can't believe it's still necessary to point that out

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