Big Tech accused of stonewalling European social media researchers
European researchers studying disinformation are accusing major technology companies, including TikTok, of withholding crucial data. This lack of access hinders investigations into online influence campaigns and their impact on elections.
Major technology firms are facing accusations from European researchers who claim the companies are stonewalling access to data essential for studying online disinformation. Researchers highlight challenges in obtaining information necessary to understand influence operations, particularly as they affect democratic processes.
During Romania's presidential election in November 2024, TikTok accounts that had previously focused on lifestyle content began promoting a previously little-known politician, Calin Georgescu. His posts, which contained hard-line views on immigration and antisemitic tropes, garnered 120 million views before the election. Georgescu, who had been polling in single digits, surprisingly secured 23 percent of the vote in the first round.
Adriana Iamnitchi, chair of computational social sciences at Maastricht University, was closely observing these developments. She aimed to investigate how pro-Georgescu content was monetized on TikTok through hidden influencer marketing and livestreamed political content. However, she encountered significant obstacles in accessing the required data from the platform.
This situation reflects a broader concern among academics regarding the lack of transparency from large tech companies. Researchers argue that limited access to platform data impedes their ability to analyze the spread of misinformation, identify influential actors, and understand the mechanisms behind online radicalization. This opacity poses a challenge to safeguarding democratic discourse in Europe.