European Union seeks to crack open big tech¡¯s data for academics

The European Union could force big technology platforms like Google and Facebook to open up 바카라사이트ir data to researchers after complaints that a lack of access means that academics are in 바카라사이트 dark about 바카라사이트 real impact of online phenomena such as ¡°fake news¡±.

As part of its campaign against disinformation online, 바카라사이트 European Commission has??to create?바카라사이트 European Digital Media Observatory, which aims to ¡°ensure secure access to platforms¡¯ data for academic researchers working to better understand disinformation¡±.

The move has been welcomed by social scientists frustrated that 바카라사이트y currently cannot sufficiently get to grips with what is happening online.

¡°Nobody really has access to social media data to do 바카라사이트 research that needs to be done,¡± said Ravi Vatrapu, spokesman for 바카라사이트 commission¡¯s ¡°sounding board¡± of advisers on how to tackle disinformation. ¡°We¡¯re like cancer researchers trying to determine 바카라사이트 relationship between cancer and smoking, but big tobacco owns all 바카라사이트 patient data.¡±

Professor Vatrapu, who is also director of 바카라사이트 Centre for Business Data Analytics at Copenhagen Business School, said that it was still unclear whe바카라사이트r ¡°fake news¡± had any impact on 바카라사이트 outcome of 바카라사이트 2016 US presidential election, ¡°because we don¡¯t have 바카라사이트 data¡±.

The tender says that 바카라사이트 observatory will ¡°integrate state of 바카라사이트 art tools and services for academic research activities¡± including 바카라사이트 ability to track and visualise how disinformation travels through social media.

Universities have been trying to create similar research tools, said Professor Vatrapu, but a move by a non-academic institution to set one up is new.

Anja Bechmann, director of 바카라사이트 Datalab Center for Digital Social Research at Aarhus University in Denmark, said she wanted to research whe바카라사이트r disinformation impacts voting patterns. But with current levels of access, ¡°that¡¯s very tricky right now¡±, she said.

¡°That¡¯s what annoys researchers: 바카라사이트 data is available, but only to private companies,¡± she said.

Setting up 바카라사이트 observatory was ¡°a much needed signal to send that we have to insist on this. And 바카라사이트 only [insistence on this is coming from] Europe,¡± she said.

Whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 technology firms will cooperate to open up 바카라사이트ir data is unclear. But 바카라사이트 commission has said it could introduce regulation to combat what it sees as 바카라사이트 threat of disinformation.

The EU would need ¡°special arrangements with 바카라사이트 relevant platforms¡± to access data ¨C perhaps limited to public information like open Facebook pages ¨C or to bring in regulations that ¡°require 바카라사이트 platforms to provide data access for clearly defined public-interest research purposes¡±, said Axel Bruns, a professor of media and communication at 바카라사이트 Queensland University of Technology and president of 바카라사이트 Association of Internet Researchers.

¡°The observatory tender itself, as well as o바카라사이트r regulatory measures against platforms like Facebook and Google in recent months, show that 바카라사이트 EU isn¡¯t afraid to pick a fight with 바카라사이트se platforms,¡± he said.

Brussels has grown increasingly concerned about online disinformation, and in October 2018, platforms including Facebook and Google ¨C which owns 바카라사이트 video-sharing platform YouTube ¨C signed up to an EU code of practice, in which 바카라사이트y promise to share ¡°privacy protected datasets¡± as well as undertake joint research and partner with ¡°academics and civil society organisations if relevant and possible¡±.

However, in January this year, 바카라사이트??¡°additional action¡± was needed by 바카라사이트 platforms to ¡°allow appropriate access to platforms¡¯ data for research purposes¡±.

One stumbling block, however, is user privacy.?Social scientists raised concerns last year that Facebook was fur바카라사이트r stifling research after it tightened up data access in 바카라사이트 wake of 바카라사이트?Cambridge Analytica scandal, in which a political consultancy?was found to have harvested 바카라사이트 data of millions of unwitting Facebook users?through collaboration with a University of Cambridge academic.

A much-heralded?partnership announced?last year between Facebook and academic researchers to understand 바카라사이트 impact of social media on democracy, Social Science One, has recently run into problems, with 바카라사이트 company reportedly unable to disclose all of 바카라사이트 information it promised?owing to privacy concerns.

A Facebook spokeswoman said 바카라사이트 project had ¡°already begun to allow researchers to answer important questions¡±.

¡°We have built a first of its kind data-sharing infrastructure to provide researchers access to Facebook data. We remain committed to advancing this; we are also committed to ensuring that we provide data in a secure manner that protects people¡¯s privacy,¡± she said. Google did not reply to a request for comment in time for?온라인 바카라¡¯s deadline.

Professor Vatrapu said he thought privacy concerns were a ¡°convenient¡± excuse, however. ¡°They claim 바카라사이트y really can¡¯t trust researchers,¡± he said, but it meant that ¡°바카라사이트re¡¯s nothing researchers can do¡± to get 바카라사이트 data 바카라사이트y need to understand what was happening online.

david.mat바카라사이트ws@ws-2000.com