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Original poster

Did anyone else get an email from a PR agency, regarding TV habits of their children?

4 replies

moodlumhohohoodlum · 07/01/2009 20:27

I got two emails today, regarding me participating in more research into children's TV habits, for PR purposes. After the first one, a few hours later, I got a second one, apologising profusely for the first one...

How strange? I vaguely remember filling in some MN thing about what TV my children watch, but I didn't expect to be contacted.

Has anyone else had this? Or am I being a bit dim, and this has already been discussed?

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MNHQ

JustineMumsnet · 07/01/2009 21:30

Hi all,
This is as you all rightly point out, is a complete balls up and deeply irritating for both you and us. We'll certainly be talking to this agency first thing tomorrow to make it clear how unacceptable this is.

Many many apologies to all from our end.

MNHQ

JustineMumsnet · 07/01/2009 22:55

We don't pass on emails without your express permission so I very much doubt we did so without it being part of the T&C - but Carrie is Queen of Market Research round here, so she'll follow up tomorrow.

Clearly someone at the PR company involved in this particular survey has made an error here but in general there's no need to worry about MN surveys.

MNHQ

carriemumsnet · 08/01/2009 11:30

Hi all

First off huge apologies to all again from MNHQ. We are as cross about this as you are. I have left a message for Jilly and am waiting to speak with her direct.

I just wanted to reassure you that we are extremely careful with all your data and would never pass it on to any third party without your consent. In this instance there were two opportunities to sign up to do additional research for Freeview. In the first one (the one where we were trying to recruit for the online focus group) it said at the top:

If you?re interested in being considered, please add your details below. If you're selected your details will be passed directly to Freeview, otherwise your details will not be passed on to any third party.

The second one - the survey - had a section where we asked folks if they wanted to be contacted at a later date:

Freeview would like to use a number of Mumsnetters for further research, such as keeping a television viewing diary or being used as a case study. Everyone who is chosen and who takes part in this additional activity will be given £25 of Amazon vouchers. If you?re interested in being considered please indicate below - on the next page you'll be asked to enter your contact details.

If you sign up here your details will be passed directly to Freeview. Otherwise your details will not be passed on to any third party except in the event that you win the prize draw.

I know this doesn't make up for the stupid mistake of cc -ing all your emails but just wanted to reassure folks that MNHQ weren't handing out emails willy nilly.

Anyway, huge apologies from us again and we will let you know what Jilly says when she gets back.

MNHQ

MNHQ

carriemumsnet · 08/01/2009 13:35

Hi All

Just spoke with the head honcho at nelson bostock and they are very very apologetic. Jilly couldn't speak because she is "still in floods of tears" is absolutely devastated by her mistake and is fully aware of how much she has cocked up. It was a stupid but honest mistake and everyone at NB are very sorry. If it's any consolation I doubt she will ever make the same mistake again.

I'm not sure there's more they (or we) can do, but wanted to report back that they are taking this seriously and the person who made the mistake is genuinely upset and sorry for what she did.

Also to reiterate, we would never pass on your details to a third party without your consent. The reason fillyjonk must have been on a list is because she won and we do say:
If you sign up here your details will be passed directly to Freeview. Otherwise your details will not be passed on to any third party except in the event that you win the prize draw.

She still shouldn't have been contacted if she hadn't opted in, but we can see why that mistake might have been made as they had her email as a winner.

So cock up all round, but they are very sorry. For our part we will try and make the point to companies in future that if they do contact Mumsnetters, not to cc the rest of the Mumsnet world in the email.

MNHQ

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