bogus posters?

I agree with you Jess. The earlier comment about how we discern those who aren't genuine is spot on - strange names that appear without introducing themselves and demonstrating that they have a use for Gransnet but not an interest or commitment to get involved. They are usually easy to sniff out. The male poster who came on here telling us about the women who wanted to change his will hasn't been back, nor have others who come along to provoke and not engage.

I interpret HQ's non-exclusive copyright to mean that I have copyright of anything I write on GN, but that they can also use what I write.

It says at the top of Forums page - HN has non-exclusive copyright to all posting and may republish in another form/place
Johanna I suspect you have a very logical, organised, literal mind.
Not everyone does. Just because posters are a little incoherent, incomplete or emotional does not mean they are bogus. Some minds, and lives, are quite messy.

Since the secret researchers will have no demographic information about us, our ages, social backgrounds, education etc etc. any report based on the information they collect would be seriously flawed. No respectable research journal or post-graduate supervisor would accept evidence based on such a flimsy basis. It would be dismissed as anecdotal.

However some of the 'researchers' in PR agencies and cheap jack think tanks (like the one that did the report on older people underoccupying their homes) may use data gathered from sites like ours. The sort of resrearch the Daily Mail so enjoys printing.

Well, petallus, your OP and everything you have said on this thread seems to make a lot of sense, and has also confirmed a sneaking suspicion I have had.

Some cries for help for instance do not always ring true.
I remember pointing this out on a thread ( I think it was about isolation and loneliness ), but got gunned down.

Then we had a widower who could not understand why the two women he had dated wanted to change his will. The whole post in itself was so illogical.
The facts were not explained at all at the time.

I am sure that the world of commerce now employ people who do nothing but read forums.
Now, there is a thought...... Let's upset that applecart!
.....I can see it now, only thongs for sale!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Not that I was thinking anyone would be daft enough to quote verbatim in such a case as we have been discussing.

Isn't it also each poster's copyright of their own stuff?

My comment is particularly relevant to those of us who have very unusual and unique name combinations. In the case I mentioned, the guy knew my nationality, my first name and the fact I was a teacher, as well as the town I lived in. Bingo.

It would be collecting opinions but it would not be research.
occasionally we do get posters who want help with their student research projects. e.g. they want a questionnaire filled in. I direct them to GNHQ - they should ask permission - courtesy.
Ethics is always tricky isn't it.
But say someone came on GN and they were writing a book about .... lets say problems with SILs and they garnered lots of quotes and used them in the book.
I think the writers might justifiably be a bit miffed. And GN certainly miffed as it is their copyright what we write on here.
petallus yes it is frustrating that more serious threads can fizzle out into light chat rather quickly at the moment. Not the ones about personal problems but ones where there is a debate going on.

Absolutely, which is why I never post details of my family and friends here. And a quick reminder that Gransnet has already published some thread/(s) in the British press (remember sexuality and the elderly?).

Having been bullied and pursued right back to my previous hometown on a Forum, been bitten and very wary. We went back on holiday, and friends asked why somebody was asking questions about me?!? And that was from a Moderator. It is indeed a small world out there. Be careful.

Bags I only have 11 friends on Facebook and they are my close family and a lifelong friend. My security now is so tight, I don't have a picture on there, and I not only don't respond to friends requests, I actively block certain people who have tried to get me to accept them as friends, as this opens me up at a network of people I don't even know. As soon as I realised that I can check in on anyone with lax security, I went through mine with a fine toothcomb. I don't get any bother from Facebook activity now, and I no longer get all those pesky adverts along the side of the Facebook page, inviting me to buy the books I looked at on Amazon. 'Struth!

when, you can make your privacy settings on FB quite stringent. That saves a lot of bother too

Same here, jacey. I've taken part in various up front studies.

Whatever the ethics of collecting opinions (for what they're worth) from somewhere like gransnet, I don't see how anyone could prevent it. Someone might be doing it right now.

I wrote a lot more waffle there and deleted it you'll be glad to hear

In the end, I think critical thinking/reading is a good skill to have so that when one reads a study or the report of one, one can check it out thoroughly (e.g sample number and type) before believing it. jess has made comments to that effect sometimes, though perhaps more effectively!

Gretnan What do you mean by "It is hard to respond to vague accusations against 'some people' so I won't bother" Which vague accusations?

,,,,oh, and I mentioned something on Facebook once and started receiving emails about the item! That did it for me. All I do is look at my family's photos, say 'how gorgeous' and 'that looked like a lovely day' and get off there!

Since I put up the OP I will make the point that 'trawling' through web sites is not the main issue. What is considered to be particularly unethical is if someone masquerades as a distressed person looking for advice when all along they are doing research.

As for not posting sometimes, it is never through timidity as far as I'm concerned, more that if a few people are having the 'grand' debate mentioned by Jacey you know it's going to be difficult to get a word in.

For instance, let's say we are discussing children going to school with no breakfast and being fed by teachers. Let's say the thread has got to the point where everyone is agreeing people couldn't possibly be so poor that they can't afford the food, must be due to inadequate parenting, and then going on to ideas for cheap nutritious recipes or for training courses for the parents concerned.

Well in this scenario, suddenly posting the view that actually some people are that poor doesn't get much attention. The next post is likely to be another recipe or whatever.

Not anybody's fault. Just how it is when we are communicating online. Hard to get a dialogue which lasts.

Thanks Bags must find out how it's done because Google, Ebay, Amazon etc seem to be all-pervasive! I go to the trouble of changing the defaults on Google and they ping right back again!

Totally agree Ariadne ...I now do not respond to one poster at all and agree with you Whenim64 .

And no JJ I don't 'water down' my comments ...but sometimes it is pointless posting when a handful of GN are having their 'grand' debate; been there and done that ...and been totally ignored.

Yes bags if someone has been up-front about doing research and asked for a contribution ...I have made one.

I see, when. Since I don't get that kind of email, I think I misunderstood what you were saying. I heartily recommend disabling all that stuff if you possibly can. Saves having to delete unwnated emails all the time if nothing else

Sniping is a form of bullying...I had enough of that in my childhood.

Sorry Ariadne we overlapped. Same here!

Greatnan, I'm with you on this issue. If I want to contribute I do so by choice, and it's disappointing to be criticised for expressing yourself politely about something of interest to you. Some things I steer clear of and leave to others to discuss, when I feel I have nothing to contribute.

I am happy if someone courteously points out that I am wrong, or that they disagree. Fine. But the sniping that can occur, I find distressing and unnecessary.

Bags, yes I consent to post on Gransnetters. No worries at all there, but if I search for subjects or items that interest me, I don't want an email from amazon or eBay, or whoever else, telling me they've found just the thing for me!

It is hard to respond to vague accusations against 'some people' so I won't bother.