Independent Researcher Access to Social Media Data: Comparing Legislative Proposals

Research report

Website/link: https://cdt.org/insights/independent-researcher-access-to-social-media-data-comparing-legislative-proposals/#iv-which-online-services-must-make-data-available

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Published date: April 21, 2022

Last updated: 7/8/2022

Author: Caitlin Vogus

Region: Global

Subject tag: Algorithmic systems | Data Access | Privacy and data protection

Researchers use data from social media companies and other hosts of user-generated content to study important topics of public concern, such as the efficacy of different content moderation efforts and ideas to improve them, the spread of dis- and mis-information online, ranking and recommendation algorithms, and online advertising. But some researchers have been stymied by the type and amount of data available, the level of control that social media companies exert over researchers’ access, and other barriers.

CDT has compiled a chart (last updated on July 8, 2022) (PDF version) comparing these different researcher access to data proposals.

Government policy documents

Proposed US Platform Accountability and Consumer Transparency Act

The Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology will develop a voluntary framework that, among other things, will include standards and processes for providing researchers access to data[...]

Published date: December 10, 2021

Subject tag: Algorithmic systems | Data Access

Legislation or legislative material

EU Digital Services Act

In order to safeguard and improve the functioning of the internal market, a targeted set of uniform, effective and proportionate mandatory rules should be established at Union level. This Regulation[...]

Published date: October 19, 2022

Subject tag: Advertising | Algorithmic systems | Child safety | Data Access | Disinformation and misinformation | Privacy and data protection | Terrorism and violent extremism

Legislation or legislative material

Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA)

The “Kids Online Safety Act” is a bill introduced in the United States Senate by Senators Richard Blumenthal and Marsha Blackburn in February 2022 and reintroduced in May 2023; the[...]

Published date: May 2, 2023

Subject tag: Child safety

Legislation or legislative material

Digital Services Oversight and Safety Act of 2022

This bill establishes the Bureau of Digital Services Oversight and Safety within the Federal Trade Commission to provide oversight for content moderation by online platforms (e.g., social media companies). Content[...]

Published date: February 18, 2022

Subject tag: Child safety | Content moderation | Disinformation and misinformation | Terrorism and violent extremism

Legislation or legislative material

Social Media DATA Act

This bill requires consumer-facing websites and mobile applications with a large number of users to maintain advertisement libraries and make them available to academic researchers and the Federal Trade Commission[...]

Published date: May 20, 2021

Subject tag: Advertising | Data Access