In a significant move that is set to reshape the landscape of social media analytics, Meta has announced its decision to discontinue CrowdTangle, an instrumental tool for journalists and researchers tracking viral content on Facebook and Instagram. Revealed in an interview with Axios by Nick Clegg, Meta's president of global affairs, this decision marks a pivotal shift in how Meta envisions data access and transparency moving forward.
Why CrowdTangle's Closure Matters
Launched in 2016, CrowdTangle quickly became an essential resource for news publishers and journalists, providing invaluable insights into the dynamics of viral content across Meta's platforms. However, the company's strategic pivot away from news and political content, coupled with a decreased investment in CrowdTangle, has made the tool less reliable over time. Meta's plan to phase out CrowdTangle by August 14 reflects a broader recalibration of its priorities towards user-generated viral videos, distancing itself from the complexities of news dissemination and political discourse.
A New Era of Data Tools for Researchers
In place of CrowdTangle, Meta intends to roll out a suite of new data tools designed exclusively for a select group of researchers. These tools, including Meta's Content Library and an API for backend development, promise to offer comprehensive access to a vast array of publicly available data across Facebook and Instagram. Unlike CrowdTangle, access to these new resources will be tightly controlled, with applications vetted through the Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research at the University of Michigan. This move underscores Meta's effort to maintain a more curated and controlled environment for data analysis, effectively limiting access for news publishers, journalists, and those with commercial interests.
The Alternatives and the Ongoing Debate for Transparency
With CrowdTangle's impending shutdown, Meta suggests third-party social media analytics tools, such as Sprout Social and NewsWhip, as alternatives for the journalism community. However, these platforms will need access to Meta's new research tools, relying instead on their existing backend relationships with Meta for data analytics. This transition period may pose challenges for journalists accustomed to CrowdTangle's insights into viral trends and algorithmic influences on content dissemination.
The debate over Meta's commitment to transparency, particularly in the aftermath of the 2020 election, places CrowdTangle's closure in a broader context of scrutiny and skepticism. Critics have long argued that Meta's algorithms promote hyper-political and divisive content, a claim that Meta contends is not fully captured by CrowdTangle's analytics. This ongoing discussion highlights the complex interplay between social media platforms, content virality, and the quest for a balanced understanding of digital discourse.
Meta's Path Forward: Transparency and Research Collaboration
As Meta navigates the fallout from past controversies, including the Cambridge Analytica scandal, the company expresses a commitment to forging a more transparent and constructive relationship with the research community. By developing new tools and initiatives aimed at offering comprehensive data access in a controlled manner, Meta aims to address regulatory pressures and public demands for greater insight into its content moderation practices and algorithmic decisions.
As pointed out by Clegg, the introduction of new transparency and election research reports exemplifies Meta's efforts to open up its platforms for academic and scientific scrutiny. Through these initiatives, Meta hopes to demonstrate a good faith effort to foster a vibrant ecosystem of research and analysis, contributing to a deeper understanding of social media's impact on society.
As the curtain falls on CrowdTangle, Meta's strategic shift towards exclusive data tools for researchers signals a new chapter in the ongoing dialogue between tech giants and the communities they serve. While marking the end of an era for journalism and research, this transition also opens up possibilities for more nuanced and sophisticated analyses of social media's ever-evolving landscape.