Getting independent researchers access to social media data is the broccoli of digital regulation. Everyone says it’s important. But when pushed, few people other than researchers understand why.
I’ve spent the last 18 months trying to unpack why better access to the treasure trove of social media data — the type of data that makes it possible to study everything from tracking influence operations on Facebook to how TikTok videos go viral — is central to our understanding of the online information environment. That’s especially true in 2024, a year of elections in dozens of democracies where citizens still rely heavily on social media for news and information.
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Source: Survey: New Laws Mandate Access To Social Media Data, But Obstacles Remain | TechPolicy.Press