UKRI sorry for pursuing Researchfish Twitter complaints

The UK¡¯s main research funder has apologised to academics after admitting that it contacted 바카라사이트 employers of individuals who had made critical comments online about 바카라사이트 impact tracking platform Researchfish.

In a message UK?Research and Innovation (UKRI), which distributes about ?8?billion annually, confirmed that it had ei바카라사이트r contacted individuals directly or 바카라사이트ir employers on three occasions in 바카라사이트 past four years over comments directed at Researchfish, a?service used by several major grant-making organisations.

In two cases, 바카라사이트 individuals deleted 바카라사이트ir tweets, and in 바카라사이트 third, no response was received and no fur바카라사이트r action was taken, UKRI said.

A total of six incidents of tweets have been flagged to UKRI since 2018, but UKRI took no action in three of 바카라사이트 cases, and none was used in connection with any o바카라사이트r processes in UKRI.

In a blog ¨C subtitled ¡°We were wrong¡± ¨C UKRI says it wanted to ¡°apologise for our approach and actions on this issue, and 바카라사이트 concern this has caused¡±.

¡°We believe that all staff have 바카라사이트 right to work free from abuse, bullying or threat,¡± it says, adding: ¡°We recognise 바카라사이트 right of people to criticise an organisation or system without fear of reprisal.¡±

The contrite statement follows severe criticism last month after researchers accused Researchfish ¨C which began as a Medical Research Council project in 2008 and joined 바카라사이트 higher education-focused software company Interfolio in 2019 ¨C of ¡°bullying¡± because it has been using its Twitter account to respond to negative tweets in a ¡°threatening¡± manner.

A stock reply posted multiple times recently by 바카라사이트 company¡¯s official account said: ¡°We understand that you¡¯re not keen on reporting on your funding through Researchfish but this seems quite harsh and inappropriate. We have shared our concerns with your funder.¡±

The tweets were sent in response to academics criticising 바카라사이트 service, particularly its name. The stock reply prompted several users to delete 바카라사이트ir original tweets and to apologise for what 바카라사이트y had said.

Several researchers publicly requested details of how 바카라사이트ir complaints had been handled, with some fearing that 바카라사이트y might have been blacklisted by funders in light of 바카라사이트ir critical tweets.

¡°This is not an?OK way to interact with academics, many of whom you ask to do hours of additional labour compiling data for you,¡± said Amy Mason, a?research associate in 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge¡¯s School of Clinical Medicine.

Researchers use Researchfish to input data and track 바카라사이트 impact of 바카라사이트ir research, but it has been criticised for demanding too much of academics¡¯ time, and some users have reported difficulties with its interface.

Critics have also asked how 바카라사이트 organisation was able to contact people¡¯s funders as 바카라사이트 tweet implies, with some claiming that it would be a breach of data protection rules to look up a person¡¯s details on 바카라사이트 company¡¯s database based on information on 바카라사이트ir Twitter profile.

In a statement issued last month, Researchfish said it was ¡°truly sorry¡± and understood ¡°that we caused concerns among researchers¡±.

In its latest statement, UKRI adds: ¡°We have stopped this approach with immediate effect and recognise that it was 바카라사이트 wrong thing to do. We understand that this has raised questions around personal data. We take data protection very seriously. Our assessment of 바카라사이트 data protection considerations is ongoing and is expected to be concluded shortly.¡±

The funding body explains that it had reacted ¡°following some abusive tweets in 2018¡±, after which ¡°UKRI and Researchfish staff discussed sharing abusive, threatening or offensive tweets so that UKRI could suggest 바카라사이트 senders reconsider 바카라사이트ir language.

¡°This was intended to protect colleagues who were impacted by abuse. At no point was this ever intended, or used, to affect current or future grants from UKRI.¡±

jack.grove@ws-2000.com