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See all MNHQ comments on this thread

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:
Cockapoomummy · 31/08/2018 08:24

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.

Part of. Not all of. We don’t know what in the back office they are being given access to.

CoteDAzur · 31/08/2018 08:25

Yes, anybody can do a word frequency analysis on MN posts now, without asking for permission.

So what is the need for informed consent really about?

@MNHQ Are you providing these researchers with any information about MNers?

TheFallenMadonna · 31/08/2018 08:26

Without usernames, what extra info could they possibly find useful? All those things (IPaddress, location) are linked to usernames. Which they are not collecting.

TheCatFromOuterSpace · 31/08/2018 08:28

I'd like to opt out thanks

I would only give my consent to take part in research if I understood the aims of the research, and the potential risks and benefits involved.

CoteDAzur · 31/08/2018 08:29

"OP says they are not collecting usernames, so lists of previous usernames would be pointless."

You don't understand.

Frequency analysis would only make sense if they know namechanges, so that they can normalise the effect of a very prolific poster who has posted under several names in the same topic, for example

Cockapoomummy · 31/08/2018 08:29

It says part of. Not only. We don’t know what the rest of it is.

It says “collecting posts from some boards” - the researchers are doing this. So what way is this being done ? Will they collect all posts and then run them against an exclusion list? And exclude anyone who has opted,out?

Anonymisation is happening AFTER the posts have been selected by the researchers.

GONNAENo · 31/08/2018 08:30

Opting out, thanks. After the intern thing I'm not sure why I'm still here to be honest.

Cockapoomummy · 31/08/2018 08:31

It says nothing that identifies us will be published.

It doesn’t say the researchers won’t have access to the full info held about us to do the research.

TheFallenMadonna · 31/08/2018 08:31

You are assuming they are doing frequency analysis. Why?

Cockapoomummy · 31/08/2018 08:32

I’m not. I’m analysing the statement we have been given.

sansouci · 31/08/2018 08:33

Could it be... an MNHQ troll??

CoteDAzur · 31/08/2018 08:33

"Without usernames, what extra info could they possibly find useful? All those things (IPaddress, location) are linked to usernames. Which they are not collecting."

IP addresses - To rule out those of us who live outside the UK, for example. (Many are not native speakers so perhaps should not be included in language & word frequency analysis, others may be Brits who lived there for many years which would usually mean a difference in some daily vocabulary)

Name change history - As I explained in the post above, this would be useful if not essential in determining which words are actually used frequently and which are just the same person posting very often with the same words.

CoteDAzur · 31/08/2018 08:37

"You are assuming they are doing frequency analysis. Why?"

If you actually read Rowan's posts, you would see that I don't assume but know:

it will be something along the lines of 'Parents discussing child carseat choices tend to use this sort of language and these particular words figure prominently, whereas when they're discussing family meal choices the language they use has these differences.'

TheFallenMadonna · 31/08/2018 08:40

There are other, qualitative, ways of analysing discourse.

JeffreyNeedsAHobby · 31/08/2018 08:41

I certainly do not consent to this! I have recently posted about my experience at uni as a mature student. I have been aware that I am not allowed to mention that uni by name on "social media" - however the purpose of this site is to advise. Where do we draw the line here? Will I be hauled in by them for breach of something I probably signed away pre-uni starting (and when I had savings!) if I divulge which uni I went to or are you guys protecting my right to free speech?

C8H10N4O2 · 31/08/2018 08:42

@RowanMumsnet can we get some clarity on the following points:

  1. Will researchers use public posts only or also have access to "deleted" and "withdrawn" posts?

  2. Will researchers be using surrogate names for posters and therefore be able to string together posts from a single poster?

  3. If the answer to (2) is "yes" will this surrogate username persist across NCs?

  4. Will IP addresses be passed on?

  5. will details of advertising presented to the user be passed on?

  6. Will any information of any kind whatsoever, held on users, be passed on to the researchers? (including geographic location, numbers of children etc, family details, surveys responded to etc etc etc)

It isn't going to skew the study any more than it will be already to give a general area of research eg child rearing, family breakdown, food and nutrition, political activism, women in the workplace etc.

Considering some of the attacks on MN members posting on FWR lately I think we do at least need a clear statement that it is or isn't to do with attitudes on feminism or gender critical politics

JeffreyNeedsAHobby · 31/08/2018 08:42

Of course I can mention the uni, but not in a negative way (to clarify). At least this is what an email sent to all of us last year stated.

sansouci · 31/08/2018 08:47

Surely MNHQ would have made some sort of additional clarification by this time?

Cuntysnark · 31/08/2018 08:48

Please don’t include me.

CoteDAzur · 31/08/2018 08:48

"There are other, qualitative, ways of analysing discourse."

Are you just not understanding the phrase "these particular words figure prominently"? Hmm

That is frequency analysis. No qualitative analysis in the world will show you which words are more frequently used in a forum.

JeffreyNeedsAHobby · 31/08/2018 08:50

Although if it is research about problems parents have attending uni, perhaps my posts are important...this is exactly the issue I had with the uni - they want to know your opinions, refuse to do anything to make it better and then become sinister about you not telling anyone else your opinions Hmm. It's not easy to know if they are trying to pin a target to your back or actually want real feedback.

RoseAndRose · 31/08/2018 08:55

Will the researchers just be able to look at posts?

Or will they have greater access to the data? Will they be able to see name changes? If you NC a for privacy, then you accept that MNHQers who need to have access to sensitive personal data can see it. But am not happy with the idea of any temps (whether researcher or for some other reason) having access.

I would welcome an assurance on exactly what 'behind the scenes' data they will see.

Also, exact start and end date.

Haquina · 31/08/2018 09:06

Rather than rely on my request to opt out being auctioned I think I’ll just take a break from posting. Not because I say much that’s contentious, or imagine what I say to be private when it’s on a public forum, but because academic ‘research’ conducted in this manner sounds like it’ll only produce a load of twaddle: especially so when it’s source is a site that relies on its users to flag moderation issues, which takes down so many threads to ‘look behind the scenes’ and where posters frequently change details and facts to protect their actual identity. That’s still not taking into account WUMs and GFs either.

Haquina · 31/08/2018 09:07

Actioned not auctioned. Didn’t spot the autocorrect.

sociopathsunited · 31/08/2018 09:15

Exclude me. Colour me suspicious but without all the info, this is unacceptable.

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