Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Heads up: some academic research taking place

37 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

RowanMumsnet · 03/09/2018 11:42

Here's our list so far: please shout if we've left you off

yawning801
ItsAllGoingToBeFine
SneakyGremlins
MaverickSnoopy
DoryNow
Hatstand
LuluJakey1
EastMidsGPs
PinkAvocado
seafret
electriccandlelight
ShrodingersSturdyPyjamas
luckycat007
fleshmarketclose
havingalittlebabytoolshed
SturdyEarmuffs
charliethefeminist
LumpSatAloneInABoggyMarsh
shakeyourcaboose
Mrsramsayscat
mummysparkle
Notmethistimehonest
SteamTrainsRealAleandOpenFires
traceyturnblatt
MsDidoTwite
EggysMom
woman11017
LEMtheoriginal
AntiBi
littlepill
graphista
user1483387154
JoyTheUnicorn
silentcrow
Shadowfax07
Pythagonal
PutYourShirtOnMartin
IdahoJones
FermatsTheorem
NameChangedAgain18
DuckingGoodPJs
BesmirchingMotherhood
fanomoninon
Amalfimamma
theaccidentaleconomist
JillCrewesmum
OvaHere
Lysistrataknowsherstuff
Kintan
Cockapoomummy
sansouci
BadderWolf
TheCatFromOuterSpace
GONNAENo
JeffreyNeedsAHobby
Cuntysnark
Haquina
Sociopathsunited
5000KallaxHoles
TheGirlOnTheLanding
Quangot
Iamagreyhoundhearmeroar
Stormyumbrella
EnidButton
MipMipMip
Voldesnort
GorgonLondon
IFartGlitter
Karyatide
GarethSouthgatesWaistcoat
LizzieMacQueen
Brizzledrizzle
NotTheWayISeeIt
Twosunbathingdogs
SassitudeandSparkle
Gingerivy
BoneyBackJefferson
ChestyNut
ChasedByBees
Anotherangel2
ClosdesMouches
FenellaMaxwellsPony
PortiaCastis
Maryzsnewaccount
PaulDacreRimsGeese
WaitrosePigeon
Toriap2
MaisyPops
Balljuggla
TheSassyAssassin
WhiskyIrnBru
Rosetintedglass
Ylvamoon
TufVoyaging
KateMcD451
Wheresthebeach
Bloodylucky
BusyBee27
Ocelot41
EddieVeddersfoxymop
Lozaa
Ohdeardeardear
TheRealHousewifeofCheshire
TheWanderlust
FrustratedTeddyLamp
Shutupandgotosleep

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.

RowanMumsnet · 06/09/2018 09:53

@Redteapot67

Lewjl - the researchers clearly need further info from mumsnet for their research - otherwise they wouldn’t need to tell Mn they are doing it and could have just accessed the threads online to do their research

Sorry sassitude I must have missed the notification.

We are not passing anything at all to the researchers - no 'further info' whatsoever other than the list of usernames who have opted out.

They didn't need to tell us they were doing it - they did so out of courtesy.

RowanMumsnet · 06/09/2018 10:25

@SassitudeandSparkle

Rowan, this was my original post.

@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.

Oh right sorry - no, we're not using any software or any process at all to send the posts on to them - the researchers are just reading the forum.

RowanMumsnet · 06/09/2018 11:23

@Jux

I reckon it's about swearing. Do we swear more when talking about baby names of when.we talk about Trump. Obvious, innit? Grin

The Economist did actually analyse Mumsnet forums to this effect a few months back (without asking or telling us) - IIRC they concluded that MNers swear most when talking about their husbands/partners...

RowanMumsnet · 06/09/2018 14:54

@Lweji

they concluded that MNers swear most when talking about their husbands/partners...

LTB probably accounts for half.

Out of curiosity, did the people who analysed the Trump threads (see earlier post) ever ask anyone?

I don't think they did actually for that one, although Professor Pedersen has done quite a few analyses of Mumsnet posts over the years and she's given us the heads-up about a few of them (as with this study, we didn't give them any access to anything private/back-end, they were just analysing what they could see on the public boards). We don't think GDPR materially changes the situation but it feels like it's changed the public conversation, and this time around our thinking was that - as we'd been given the heads up - informing MNers, while not strictly necessary, was in the spirit of the new regulations.

RowanMumsnet · 07/09/2018 09:03

@RosiesYellowDress

Opt out.

As I charge a fee albeit it be small to be analysed. Before I now type like someone now univested who can’t be arsed to RT does mumsnet get paid in monies or gifts for this?

No, we get no money or inducements or gifts or anything at all.

RowanMumsnet · 07/09/2018 09:09

@Aridane

MNHQ - did you start this thread because

a) the university asked you to do so (ethics committee or whatever), or

b) because legally you were advised to, or

c) you just thought it would be a nice transparent thing to do?

Do you wish you hadn’t bothered? Smile

c)

And yes, sort of Grin But it's been interesting - it feels like GDPR has pushed a big change in how data subjects (ie people) feel about things like this and in the long run that sort of awareness is probably for the good. Having these sorts of discussions play out is all part of the process innit.

RowanMumsnet · 09/10/2018 13:41

Hello

Just because some of you are obviously interested - here's the most recent piece of Mumsnet research we've spotted: a v interesting study of how Mumsnet users talk about and advise each other on the topic of financial conflict within relationships www.birmingham.ac.uk/news/latest/2018/10/mumsnet-talking-money-and-men-behaving-badly.aspx. (We didn't know this one was happening!)

Our favourite quote so far from the study: 'The term ‘cocklodger’ interests us because it identifies a type of household arrangement that is not considered in the academic literature, and yet is a frequent point of reference on Mumsnet' ...

RowanMumsnet · 06/11/2019 16:29

[quote dipstyque]@RowanMumsnet. Did this research ever materialise?[/quote]

Good question! I can't believe this was a year ago . I'll see what I can find out for you

RowanMumsnet · 15/11/2019 09:02

@EnFinale

Also very interested to know *@RowanMumsnet*...

Right, the researchers say "Collecting the data we needed took a little bit more time than what we initially anticipated (in fact a lot more time!) so things are progressing a little bit slower than the plan.

We, however, have a linguist on board now and we are looking on the best and most meaningful way to analyse the data.

Of course when we have any outputs we will let you know."

So, as soon as I have something I'll pass it on

RowanMumsnet · 25/11/2019 11:46

@EnFinale

Thanks for the update *@RowanMumsnet*. Now the data have been collected then surely we can know now what the focus/research question was? Smile

Sorry, I didn't get a notification about this one for some reason.

Yes, I don't see why not - it sounds as though they've collected all the data - it was about how parents on MN talk about feeding babies, whether breastfeeding, bottle feeding or mixed feeding. (I think some of you guessed this at the time!)

Watch this thread for updates

Tap "Watch" to get all the latest updates

End of posts

There are no more MNHQ posts on this thread