Heads up: some academic research taking place

[RowanMumsnet]

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

Plot Twist: The research is actually about how MNers respond to the idea that their public posts are going to used by the university students and the different language used when asked for permission before the study compared to when a study is published with no prior request for permission.

If you post on a public forum, what you put on there is in the public domain. It's really weird to think otherwise.

If you post on a public forum, what you put on there is in the public domain.

Yeah, we know that. Many thanks for telling us again though.

Yeah, we know that.

Which is even more mind boggling when people seem to think they can control what happens with their public posts.

Which is even more mind boggling when people seem to think they can control what happens with their public posts.

They gave us the option. Some took it. some decided to berate those that did. I can't see why it matters to some people that some others decided to take the option.

If you post on a public forum, what you put on there is in the public domain. It's really weird to think otherwise.

The problem with this is that the forum functions as a place for people to cathartically disclose sensitive topics and seek support from others when they're sometimes in the depths of despair but feeling very much alone and isolated, unable to tell anyone in RL what's troubling them.

There are mumsnetters who find the forum a hugely supportive place precisely because it does work in this way. What about those posters who, from hereon, for whatever reason, missed the 'heads up' alert? Not everyone reads everything.

I think both Mumsnet HQ and the researchers themselves have an ethical responsibility. I think probably, given the outrage on the site at the DM exploiting Mumsnet for cheap sensationalism, there are others who would agree with my position. I'm surprised the 'opt out consent' hot through a university ethics committee. It wouldn't have at the university in which I conducted research on social media and the disclosure of sensitive topics.

I've finished my popcorn
Do I need more?

Grounding Day alert

This thread is a classic example of how posters on MN now choose to read posts on MN. i.e. they don't. They only read the OP and then barge into the end to put their own post, certain in the knowledge that their words and insight are special and different from anyone else's.

If you post in the public domain, anyone can use it. Don’t know why mn asked us

...

When results are out and where?
I am curious what they are looking for

Love a bit of windmills

😃

@BIWI my pearls of wisdom that I share are special, I just don’t want others to miss out like my kids are... by not listening!

It does at times provide entertainment seeing someone jump in million pages later, totally slate and rip apart the OP first post disregarding any of OP further updates throughout thread.

@popco your best bet is to start a new thread in different sub section of the forum

Mumsnet as a control forum.

You're being watched. Not me, because I'm special and my public posts are invisible.

www.indy100.com/article/people-with-depression-use-language-differently-heres-how-to-spot-it-8262771

Probably a real twatish question but say if you posted on a public forum your comments as images/photos instead of text and include a ©️ and some small fine print waffle on them, who then owns the rights? also would it change how your posts(images) can be used other than purpose it was intended?

Obviously when reading small print of terms & condition of signing up on websites I don’t have right reading glasses on

yes I know it means jack 💩 once something is on internet

Well, if the content was scraped they probably won't be included BUT the copyright just means someone can't copy them. Academics can analyse copyright books without asking permission of the copyright holder.

the copyright just means someone can't copy them

They can copy, they just can't paste.

Even books, with copyright, can be read and analysed. Film critics live off film analyses. Why the sensitivity about public posts on a public forum?

Research means that posts are diluted into numbers or categories. It's highly unlikely that any individual post or poster is singled out or becomes viral.

Unlike sites and media that do copy posts verbatim and dissect them.

Can mine from today get left out please. Ta

No hidden motive or any specific reason for my asking other than adding to my knowledge, sometimes I like to learn about stuff other than useless facts, so I ask questions.

Meanwhile, I've spotted a hole in the theory that this thread was the subject of investigation.
The number of opt outs could not be counted. Damn.

@lewji Is that why everyone it’s seems to be very nice nice on here. They said posts across boards.

I still got my bets on ugly sofa thread as one being analysed - who has ugliest oldest furniture in their home, my 2nd bet is Boris one - narrowing down the statics on his shenanigans