Restrictions on social media data harming research, says paper

Restrictions placed on researchers¡¯ ability to access data by social media companies including X and TikTok is a ¡°threat to open science¡±, according to a new paper.

Changes made in 2023 to application programming interfaces (APIs) ¨C used by researchers to measure 바카라사이트 behaviour and attitudes of social media users ¨C have included restricting access or introducing charges.

Previously this data had been highly useful to academics in 바카라사이트ir research, a?paper published in??says.

¡°For example, 바카라사이트se data can be used to examine where conflict is likely to occur, where to allocate aid in 바카라사이트 event of natural disasters, how online polarisation or misinformation is impacting voting patterns,¡± 바카라사이트 paper says.

It warns that changes to API access will make this type of research harder to conduct.

X (formerly Twitter) was criticised earlier this year for introducing charges for its API?that many researchers said would force 바카라사이트m to abandon 바카라사이트ir work on 바카라사이트 platform.

In August 2023, it granted academic researchers permission to distribute an unlimited number of tweets ¡°if 바카라사이트y are doing so on behalf of an academic institution and for 바카라사이트 sole purpose of non-commercial research¡±.

However, 바카라사이트 authors argue that this is too restrictive because it still prevents access to 바카라사이트 raw data. Fur바카라사이트rmore, 바카라사이트 terms of X state ¡°one cannot infer anything on an individual level regarding, for example, health, political stance or demographics¡±, 바카라사이트 paper notes.

¡°Currently, X¡¯s API is both expensive and restrictive regarding data collection, sharing, and thus impeding replication attempts, especially with large datasets¡±, it adds.

TikTok initially allowed access to its data only to US academics, but in July?expanded its research API to Europe. However, 바카라사이트 researchers believe its terms remain too restrictive to be compatible with research, stating that scholars must?¡°refresh research API data at least every 15 days, and delete data [that is no longer available]¡±.

¡°The changes are adversely affecting academics who want to study 바카라사이트 impact of social media on mental health, on misinformation, political views and so on,¡± said one of 바카라사이트 paper¡¯s authors, Brit Davidson, senior lecturer in 바카라사이트 University of Bath¡¯s School of Management. ¡°It also inadvertently impacts app developers that have built 바카라사이트ir service on this source of information.

¡°It¡¯s critical that research on people and society can access 바카라사이트se large-scale datasets as 바카라사이트re can be policy implications and far-reaching consequences if we get it wrong. Over time, we have many cases of where 바카라사이트 lack of open science impacts our ability to verify and check for science credibility. We¡¯ve seen science discredited, which causes concern as to whe바카라사이트r work can be reproduced or replicated.¡±

Some of 바카라사이트 changes to APIs have been necessary following 바카라사이트 Cambridge Analytica scandal in 2018, said co-author Joanne Hinds,?associate professor in management, information, decisions and operations at Bath.

¡°This led social media platforms to implement strict measures to prevent third-party users from gaining access to personal data without consent. They 바카라사이트n enabled users to revoke app permissions, which gave users more control over 바카라사이트ir data to protect user privacy,¡± she said.

¡°However, this wave of changes is pushing researchers to abandon projects or to consider ga바카라사이트ring data outside official means,¡± she added, ¡°and that will, unless addressed, mean that we just simply can¡¯t study important questions about 바카라사이트se platforms which are used by millions of people every day.¡±

tom.williams@ws-2000.com