ESRC sending millions of pounds to Sally Hines / Leeds Uni to research gender bollocks

If I were publically linked to my work and posted this shit I'd be unemployed before I could say "internalised misogyny". Does Leeds Uni not have behaviour standards that they expect professors to stick to?

Gosh.
Trolling twitter by posting homophobic stuff about whether or not a certain group of women is 'shagable' in order to use the responses for research is not ethical by any means.
Joking about doing this if you are actually a prof doing research in that general subject area is seriously ill judged.

But when you are an academic and conduct research, you are not in a position to joke about conducting research and misusing people's data. I would be gob snacked if the university ethics committee thinks this is ok

This. It's not ok. I second the recommendation that anybody who has interacted with Hines on Twitter sends an email to the address above and withdraws consent for their interactions to be used in research or the course of any of Hines's work for the university.

Bah, I spend too long on my words and whatsthecomingoverthehill sums it up in a short sentence.

Hines is a gobshite. The question that the university would need to look at is whether they want one of their gender studies professors posting misogynistic and homophobic stuff on twitter to troll a particular group of women.

Obviously the university should be having a word but Hines can retreat into her "discipline" and assume she'll thus be untouchable.

Whether there is any research or not, what is clear is that Sally is very keen on trying to intimidate women.

Guidance from Leeds uni on how to conduct Internet based research:

Internet based research

What is meant by internet research?

If you intend to obtain research data from any of the following you will need to consider any data proction, data security and other ethical issues.

online forums 
chat rooms 
social media sites 
email 
webpages 
video exchange sites 
gaming sites 
image sharing sites

If you are planning to carry out internet research then you need to read the Association of Internet Researchers' Ethics Guide and on your ethics approval application form, you need to address the specific internet ethics issues that apply to your research.

Things to think about

The differences between internet data and research data
What is public/ private?
Just because material is publicly available does that mean it's ok to use it for research purposes?
Think about things from the participants point of view, how would you feel if you were in their shoes?
How do you want to use the material?
Obtaining informed consent; practicalities, timing, how to obtain it
Covert research, there needs to be a good reason for carrying out covert research
Does the researcher need to be anonymous?
Anonymising participants, any limits to anonymity?
What do you know about the participants? Eg might they be vulnerable/ at risk in any way?
Possible benefits of the research
Terms and conditions/ ethical expectations of the venue
Complying with legal requirements, eg concerning data protection
Cultural differences.

Extract from the British Criminology Society's Statement of Ethics 2015:

"When conducting research via the Internet or via new e-technologies, be aware of the particular ethical dilemmas that may arise when engaging in these mediums. Information provided in e-social science, e-mails, web pages, social media sites, cyber-forums and various forms of 'instant messaging' that are intentionally public may be 'in the public domain', but the public nature of any communication or information on the Internet should always be critically examined and the identity of individuals protected unless it is a salient aspect of the research. Researchers should not only be aware of the relevant areas of law in the jurisdictions that they cover but they should also be aware of the rules of conduct of their Internet Service Provider (including JANET - Joint Academic Network). When conducting Internet research, the researcher should be aware of the boundaries between public and private domains, the legal and cultural differences across jurisdictions and data security when using cloud computing or commercial survey sites. Where research might prejudice the legitimate rights of respondents, researchers should obtain informed consent from them, honour assurances of confidentiality, and ensure the security of data transmission. They should exercise particular care and consideration when engaging with children and vulnerable people in Internet research."

Wonder if all the above has been considered by this research....

I think she'll laugh this comment off as a joke and a 'gotcha'.

Undoubtedly, but it won't make her look any less unprofessional.

see also Natacha Kennedy (lecturer at Goldsmiths University)
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3359116-The-Times-smear-campaign-by-trans-lecturer-at-Goldsmiths

There is a lot that Professor Hines, just as Professor Alex Sharpe, has posted on social media recently that should be considered by their universities.

Previous 'jokes' that I have seen would not end up in front of the ethics committee. This one should.

But when you are an academic and conduct research, you are not in a position to joke about conducting research and misusing people's data. I would be gob snacked if the university ethics committee thinks this is ok.

Unless Sally Hines is a troll?
She has confirmed lots of scientists sneery thoughts on sociology to be true.
She is also making Leeds look like a lightweight laughing stock.

She will definitely claim it's another of her fantastic "jokes", a la Sheldon on Big Bang Theory. Bazinga!

I think she'll laugh this comment off as a joke and a 'gotcha'.

Well done Bernard.

Ethically, what Hines needs to do now is to provide details of the research project, provide evidence that she has gained ethical permission for it, provide details about how unconsenting people can get their data withdrawn and apologise for any distress caused.
If there is no ethical permission, 'participants' have little recourse or protections, but Hines will be in hot water with her employer/professional body. If there is no research, I imagine she is still in hot water.

People can and do use social media, including Twitter, for research.
The British Psychological Society has produced ethics guidance for internet related research in order to try and address ethical challenges.
Whether or not Hines' research, that she claims she is undertaking, has ethical permission, people have the right to have their data removed and/or to specify that they do not want their data included in any research if they think this is a possibility.
Hines has declared she is using data from Twitter. I think it would be sensible for anyone concerned about this to write to Leeds at the address given previously to express any distress that this is causing them. Distressed caused as a result of participating (or believing you are participating in) is a different (but related) issue to that of simply complaining.

OK. I am 'out' on twitter and tweet under my own name. i have interacted with professor hines. I have emailed the address above making it clear that any content stemming from or relating to my twitter handle needs to be removed from Professor Hines's research.

jeez. she really needs genderism doesn''t she? without it how would a person with her 'unique' capabilities be in such a position?

As if Twitter would be of any use in terms of data about anything in a wider context. It's a cess pit. The only thing you can use twitter for is in analysing twitter itself. If DocStokk had the same ethics as SH (i.e. none) then she could easily use twitter as 'data' about trans ideology.

It would be amusing to drop a note to Leeds' research ethics people to say that one of their professors is engaged in data gathering from identifiable human subjects without informed prior consent*

I suggest every Twitter user who has ever interacted with Hines contact:
Jennifer Blaikie
Senior Research Ethics Administrator 
The Secretariat 
Level 11, E C Stoner Building
University of Leeds 
LS2 9JT 
0113 34 34873 
[email protected]

and request that their data is withdrawn from any study that is overseen by the university. Specify that you do not consent to any university research project using any of your data and request that any data already used is removed.

😯 I can't believe that tweet about collecting data! Ethics are a minefield and I'd be surprised if that was truly approved. Informed consent is a big issue to negotiate. I'll be interested to hear the ethics department take on this when I contact them.

Offense was meant to be offensive but I thought I'd do a Sally style typo for authenticity 🤗

And if I knew how to link to twitter I would (nod to the KF's summing up of mumsnet)
But head over to (the actually amazing) Mrkhtake2 to see the kind of supporters Sally Hines has.
It's quite grim

And again

GUYS! GUYS!

I'm not quite sure if this is a research topic , but I'm thinking about it. I think women are essentially to blame for the actions of men.

I mean, I know all about women.

I know the correct women, the incorrect women, I know everything and I'll prove it with my special "twitter data".

Can we just all ignore the fact that twitter shows I support people who harass, bully and slime? Ignore that. That doesn't count in my special study.

Dig dig dig she's posted again about research collection
time I'm guessing.

And it continues:

Guys, guys!
I've got this super amazing idea for some VERY CLEVER research.
I'm going to post something really offense on Twitter and see what response I get!
I'm going to break new ground here! Can I be a double professor? I'm honestly doing that research, it's amazing , twitter is so insightful! I mean look, all the proper women academics agree.... they do it too (when they are having a break from bullying female superstar sports women)