Concerned about digital platform accountability and research data access? There have been some key developments in Europe that deserve your attention. (These are important for European and non-European scholars alike.) 1/

First, as AlgorithmWatch reported last week ( https://bit.ly/2VuFTxc ), and others have begun to notice, all eight members of Social Science One’s (SS1) European Advisory Committee (EAC) recently stepped down. I’m one of those eight. 2/

None of us took this step out of spite. Indeed, we’re grateful to SS1’s founding co-chairs for their initiative and hard work. But SS1’s grand ambitions were always going to be hard to achieve in an environment where a) digital platforms have the upper hand, 3/

b) academic researchers are fragmented by discipline, unequal resources, etc., and c) regulations related to data access and platform accountability are either unclear or non-existent. 4/

On this latter point, the differences between Europe (unclear regs) and the US (non-existent regs) have placed the work to secure data access and improve platform accountability on very different trajectories. 5/

This was part of the reason we needed to take a step back from SS1. Housed in, and largely representative of American academic institutions, SS1 is rooted in a model of industry-academic collaboration that ultimately leaves researchers at the mercy of the platforms' good will. 6/

But in Europe there are now important opportunities emerging to help level the playing field a bit.

Here I’ll focus on two key developments that go hand-in-hand. 7/

#1: @EDMO_EUI has announced plans to establish a working group that will develop a Code of Conduct on data access for research under GDPR Article 40: https://edmo.eu/2020/11/24/call-for-comment-on-gdpr-article-40-working-group/ 8/

Though the platforms have consistently used GDPR as an excuse to avoid sharing data for independent research, GDPR actually expressly recognizes the significant societal value of, and provides a special, less restrictive regime for, scientific research. 9/

But nothing *requires* the platforms to share data for research and, w genuine lack of clarity about the procedures for companies to do so under GDPR, a Code of Conduct is needed to lay out the processes and responsibilities for both companies and researchers. 10/

For more on the need for a GDPR Article 40 Code of Conduct, see this excellent paper by @mathver. 11/ https://twitter.com/mathver/status/1333333137145933825.

#2 (This is the really important bit): The European Commission is now putting its considerable weight behind data access and accountability efforts. 12/

The European Democracy Action Plan (EDAP), released just today, notes that the Digital Services Act will introduce “a co-regulatory backstop” to improve platform accountability. 13/ https://ec.europa.eu/info/sites/info/files/edap_communication.pdf

This includes a revised version of the Code of Practice on Disinformation. The initial, self-regulatory Code included commitments to improve data access for research purposes, and we expect these to be strengthened considerably in the co-regulatory framework. 14/

Indeed, the EDAP lists the following among the objectives for the revised Code of Practice: 15/

In one fell-swoop, the Commission has explicitly acknowledged that nothing in the GDPR prevents platforms from sharing personal data with researchers and supports @EDMO_EUI efforts to develop a framework that will facilitate such data disclosure. 16/

I can’t overstate how important and significant these developments are. Though in some ways they really just gets us to the starting line (an Article 40 Code of Conduct still needs to be developed, adopted, and enforced!), they have been hard won. 17/

They represent 2+ years of tireless work by scholars and our allies across Europe to help demonstrate to policymakers that a) data access is key to independent, scientific research, which in turn is absolutely essential to b) holding digital platforms accountable. 18/

I’m not going to sugarcoat things. There have been times when I (and I know others) have wanted to step away from this mission. 19/

Academics are a disorganized lot. We’re not very good at persuasively communicating within policy arenas. And it’s not like our own institutions incentivize this type of policy effort.

And we definitely still have a long, challenging road ahead. 20/

But with the European Commission’s clear backing for our work, I have much, much greater confidence that we can accomplish our goals. 21/

That is, we can achieve responsible, ethical access to digital platform data for independent research that helps provide crucial insights into the impacts these platforms have on their users and on our societies. 22/

I want to thank the (former) members of the SS1 EAC, who have been key to supporting these achievements. @claesdevreese @solecheler @fabiogiglietto @cbpuschmann @toledobastos @esserfrank_ @prof_vaccari & Barbara Pfetsch 23/

Special thanks also to a number of other academics who have been tirelessly advocating in this arena, including @KateDommett @PJLeerssen @anjabechmann @Jausl00s @persily @simonhegelich (I know I've forgotten others. I'm truly grateful to all! 24/

A quick addendum to share the great news coming out of the Digital Services Act: https://twitter.com/RebekahKTromble/status/1339257293620260873