TBH I am also fairly certain a York University prof with a MSC in Criminology is aware of the sort of jokes that would go round a forum of this nature and the concerns that some folk might have over contributing these surveys and it would not cause you problems with your studies.

TBH in some regions even in England, local communities are still much more judgemental about folks lifestyles including the use of legal drugs such as alcohol, and they resent any attempt by others to impose “tolerance and political correctness”. they also have ways of identifying hedonists and drug users including searching Internet resources (and a culture by young people of informing on each other when in competitive environments) – thus keeping them out of local jobs, colleges etc.

however, it is not the “feds” doing this but the locals themselves. many cops here are often from London or other areas and some have more liberal and less judgemental views than the locals!

This is far more likely to put people off responding to your survey than jokes on a forum even with your security procedures – but your prof will be aware of this as he would have had exactly the same issues with his own thesis (which I would be interested in reading if it is available online somewhere). It may skew your data so only younger people from big cities (where they can feel more anonymous) contribute and this is something you might need to adjust for.

That said, I have openly discussed my drug and alcohol use since my 20s on this forum and not had any major issues because of it. my lifestyle may have affected me getting one job with a local high tech company where I lived (though this occured before I was a regular on here!) but this was one enforcing copyright and censorship which I had only applied for out of desparation so probably a good thing I didn’t get it.

I was also able to still obtain security clearance to work in a central Government Department for a number of yearss well as openly contrbuting to this site). The local constabulary in my area I then lived and Scotland yard were clearly monitoring here (as were a number of foreign law enforcement agencies!) yet I have never been judged for anything I have posted on here, only for when I have actually been caught with drugs or doing something blatantly illegal. Yes, things are monitored but there is more free speech in England than many folk realise.