This document summarizes Work Stream 4 of a research project. It discusses the ethical considerations for using data from the @MHChat Twitter chat, presents statistics about the chat during a 10-day period in December 2016, and outlines remaining tasks. Guidelines for internet research and literature on social media ethics are referenced. Informed consent procedures are described, including notifying chat participants about the research and anonymizing any tweets used. The goals of the research are to understand experiences of hostility toward those with mental health difficulties to help improve safeguarding.

1. Claudia Megele
Head of Service for Quality Assurance & PSW (Wiltshire Council)
Co-Investigator andWork Stream 4 Lead
Founder @MHChat

2. This presentation offers a brief overview ofWork Stream 4. In
specific, it presents the ethical considerations for use of
@MHChat data and the statistics relating to the chat.
 Ethical considerations in use of @MHChat data
 @MHChat statistics relating to the chat and the 10 day data
collection period (5 to 14 December 2016).
 Remaining tasks forWork Stream 4
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3. “… it is problematic for researchers to justify their
actions as ethical simply because the data are
accessible… The process of evaluating the
research ethics cannot be ignored simply because
the data are seemingly public”
(Boyd and Crawford, 2012, p672)
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4. Questions of whether online postings are public
or private are determined to some extent by
the online setting itself, and whether there is a
reasonable expectation of privacy on behalf of
the social media user.
(British Psychological Society 2013)
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5.  Use Association of Internet Researchers
https://aoir.org/ guidelines
 Literature & research on social media ethics and
ethics of social media research
 Own work and research (Megele, 2017a, 2017b, 2017c)
& experience of creating & managing knowledge
network & communities of practice/interest
(@MHChat, @SWSCmedia, and others)
 Consultation with colleagues @MHChat
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6.  Consent by design: Informed consent embedded in design
(Megele, 2017a, 2017b, 2017c).
 @MHChat tweeted as many participants as possible
before during and after the chat to advise them about the
use of the chat data for research.These tweets included a
link to MHChat.com blog about the research and the use
of data from the chat.
 It was made clear that only the tweets that are in answer
to the research questions and that are tweeted between 5
to 14 December 2016 will be used for this research, and
that other tweets and regular @MHChat data are not
included in this research.
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7.  Service user participants using the hashtag
#MHChat or addressed to @MHChat could
be viewed as vulnerable research participants
so to ensure transparency and appropriate
ethical engagement.
 The analysis and reporting will ensure
participant anonymity for bothTwitter
identity and geographical location.
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8.  The 1st Twitter chat was scheduled for 7 December 2017 and was announced
@MHChat
 2 blogs posts on mhchat.com were aimed at detailing the project as follows:
 1st blog included:
▪ Details of the chat and the questions that were raised during the chat
▪ Details of the project and its methodology
▪ Informed consent
▪ How to share your views/stories with @MHChat (via tweets, DMs, and email)
▪ Information about project team and who to contact.
▪ Link to Middlesex blog for the project
 2nd blog included:
▪ The questions to be addressed during the chat
▪ Notice about the use of data/tweets from the chat and informed consent
▪ How to share your views/stories with @MHChat (via tweets, DMs, and email)
▪ Link to the 1st blog for further details.
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9. 1. Do experiences of Mental Health difficulty increase the risk of negative social experiences for
the individual?
2. Do people experiencing Mental Health difficulty experience aggression, abuse or neglect due
to their Mental Health?
3. What does this abuse or neglect look like? & what are some of the sources of abuse or neglect?
& where does it happen?
4. What is the effect of such abuse or neglect on the people who experience Mental Health
difficulties?
5. Do people experiencing mental ill health experience abuse, aggression or neglect in #MH
community & inpatient services?
6. How do people who experience Mental Health difficulty actually respond & manage or cope
with such abuse & neglect?
7. Is there a better way? How can people who experience mental ill health better respond &
manage such abuse & neglect?
8. What is needed? How can Mental Health services offer better & more person-centred
protection & adult safeguarding?
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10.  @MHChat chats are led and guided by people with lived experience of mental
health challenges (this includes professionals who have lived experience of
mental health difficulties).
 The main objective of this user-led research project is to understand and raise
awareness of the various experiences of violence and hostility against people
experiencing mental health difficulties.This can help improve organisations’ and
professionals’ understanding of the challenges faced by people experiencing
mental ill health. We are particularly interested in personalising adult
safeguarding and to help professionals and organisations better safeguard
people experiencing mental health difficulties.
 To ensure respect for @MHChat participants’ and community members’ privacy,
any tweets used from the abovementioned chat (scheduled on 7 December 2016)
will be anonymized so they are not retraceable to the original person;
 If we decide to use any direct quotes from any participants, @MHChat will
contact that specific participant, through theirTwitter account, to ask their
permission and consent before using any direct quotes from them.
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11.  Only tweets between 5 and 14 December 2016 and relating to the above chat and
addressed to @MHChat or containing the hashtag #MHChat will be collected for this
project. All other tweets will NOT be included in this project.
 If your tweets are private and @MHChat is unable to see your tweets but you would
like to participating in this research, please DM (Direct Message) to let us know that
you have tweeted us regarding this research.
 If you prefer your tweets not to be included or considered for this project, please let us
know via one of the following:
 Tweet @MHChat stating that you do not wish to participate in the research project;
 DM @MHChat stating that you do not wish to participate in the research project;
 Email @MHChat at info at mhchat.com stating that you do not wish to participate in the research
project;
 Please note other tweets @MHChat are not used for this project.
 This is an important opportunity to raise greater awareness of experiences of violence
and hostility toward people who experience mental ill health and
therefore, @MHChat is participating and supporting this research. However, if you
would like to take part in the chat but don’t want your views to be included in this
research just let us know as stated above and we will not include any of your tweets in
this research.
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15.  Extraction of relevant data
 Thematic analysis of the relevant data
 Integration of the analysis and emergent themes with
the emergent themes from the interviews
 Schedule 2nd Chat @MHChat
 Data gathering and analysis of the results
 Integration of the data from the 2 chats into the
overall analysis and report.
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16.  Boyd, D. & Crawford, K (2012). Critical questions for big data.
Information,Communication and Society. 15(5). 662-679.
 British Psychological Association (2013). Ethics Guidelines for
Internet-Mediated Research. Report available at:
http://www.bps.org.uk/system/files/Public%20files/inf206-
guidelinesfor-internet-mediated-research.pdf
 Megele, C. (2017a) Safeguarding Children andYoung People Online.
Policy Press, London.
 Megele, C. (2017b) SafeguardingAdults Online. Policy Press, London.
 Megele, C. (2017c) Safeguarding Mental Health Service Users Online.
Policy Press, London.
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