Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has shut down CrowdTangle—a tool used by a huge cross-section of users, ranging from researchers to watchdog organisations and journalists, notably to track how misinformation spreads on the company's platforms.

Wednesday's shutdown, which Meta announced earlier this year, has been protested by researchers and nonprofits. Back in May, dozens of groups — including the Center for Democracy and Technology, the Digital Forensic Research Lab at the Atlantic Council, Human Rights Watch, and NYU's Center for Social Media &amp; Politics — sent a letter to the company asking that it keep the tool running through at least January, so it would be available during the US presidential elections.

'This decision jeopardises essential pre- and post-election oversight mechanisms and undermines Meta's transparency efforts during this critical period, and at a time when social trust and digital democracy are alarmingly fragile,' the letter said.

'CrowdTangle has been an essential tool in helping researchers parse through the vast amount of information on the platform and identify harmful content and threats,' it added.

In March, a nonprofit called the Mozilla Foundation sent Meta a similar letter urging it to commit to keeping the tool, available for free, up and running until at least January. Several dozen groups and individual academic researchers also signed onto that letter.

'For years, CrowdTangle has represented an industry best practice for real-time platform transparency. It has become a lifeline for understanding how disinformation, hate speech, and voter suppression spread on Facebook, undermining civic discourse and democracy,' the Mozilla letter said.

Meta has published an alternative, the Meta Content Library, but access is limited to academic researchers and nonprofits, which means it's unavailable to most news organisations. Other critics have complained that it isn't as useful as CrowdTangle — not yet, at least.

According to a blog post last week by Nick Clegg, Meta's president of global affairs, the company has been collecting feedback about Meta Content Library from "hundreds of researchers in order to make it more user-friendly and help them find the data they need for their work."

Meta said Wednesday that CrowdTangle doesn't provide a complete picture of what is happening on its platforms and said its new tools are more comprehensive.

Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has shut down CrowdTangle—a tool used by a huge cross-section of users, ranging from researchers to watchdog organisations and journalists, notably to track how misinformation spreads on the company's platforms.

Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has shut down CrowdTangle—a tool used by a huge cross-section of users, ranging from researchers to watchdog organisations and journalists, notably to track how misinformation spreads on the company's platforms. Wednesday's shutdown, which Meta announced earlier this year, has been protested by researchers and nonprofits. Back in May, dozens of groups — including the Center for Democracy and Technology, the Digital Forensic Research Lab at the Atlantic Council, Human Rights Watch, and NYU's Center for Social Media & Politics — sent a letter to the company asking that it keep the tool running through at least January, so it would be available during the US presidential elections. 'This decision jeopardises essential pre- and post-election oversight mechanisms and undermines Meta's transparency efforts during this critical period, and at a time when social trust and digital democracy are alarmingly fragile,' the letter said. 'CrowdTangle has been an essential tool in helping researchers parse through the vast amount of information on the platform and identify harmful content and threats,' it added. In March, a nonprofit called the Mozilla Foundation sent Meta a similar letter urging it to commit to keeping the tool, available for free, up and running until at least January. Several dozen groups and individual academic researchers also signed onto that letter. 'For years, CrowdTangle has represented an industry best practice for real-time platform transparency. It has become a lifeline for understanding how disinformation, hate speech, and voter suppression spread on Facebook, undermining civic discourse and democracy,' the Mozilla letter said. Meta has published an alternative, the Meta Content Library, but access is limited to academic researchers and nonprofits, which means it's unavailable to most news organisations. Other critics have complained that it isn't as useful as CrowdTangle — not yet, at least. According to a blog post last week by Nick Clegg, Meta's president of global affairs, the company has been collecting feedback about Meta Content Library from "hundreds of researchers in order to make it more user-friendly and help them find the data they need for their work." Meta said Wednesday that CrowdTangle doesn't provide a complete picture of what is happening on its platforms and said its new tools are more comprehensive.

Meta's controversial CrowdTangle shutdown sparks outcry amid misinformation battle

Facebook owner Meta announces the shutdown of CrowdTangle, a crucial tool for tracking misinformation, just ahead of major elections worldwide, including the US. Watch in for more details!

Meta to shut down misinformation monitoring tool CrowdTangle

In a move experts have labelled "a grave step backwards", Facebook owner Meta has decided to decommission CrowdTangle, a vital digital tool for tracking viral falsehoods.

The move which is scheduled to take effect on August 14, as per experts, will disrupt efforts to detect political misinformation in a major election year.

<h2>What is CrowdTangle?</h2>

CrowdTangle, as per an AFP report, is a game-changing tool which for years has offered researchers and journalists crucial real-time transparency into the spread of conspiracy theories and hate speech on Meta-owned platforms, including Facebook and Instagram. &nbsp;

The monitoring tool, as per reports, will be replaced by another tool which researchers say&nbsp;lacks the same functionality and that news organisations will largely not have access to.

CrowdTangle will be replaced by a new Content Library, a technology still under development.

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The tool, as per tech industry experts, including former CrowdTangle chief executive Brandon Silverman, is currently not an effective replacement, especially in a year when world-over elections are likely to see a proliferation of AI-enabled falsehoods.

While Meta claims that the Content Library will contain more comprehensive data than CrowdTangle and will be available to academics and non-profit election integrity experts, concerns remain about access for independent researchers and journalists.&nbsp;

However, Meta has announced that the new tool will not be accessible&nbsp;for-profit media. This has raised questions about transparency and accountability.

<h2>What the experts say</h2>

This move comes just three months before the 2024 US Presidential election that will see incumbent Joe Biden and Republican rival Donald Trump face off. Not only that, globally,&nbsp;dozens of countries&nbsp;will hold elections this year.

"In a year when almost half of the global population is expected to vote in elections, cutting off access to CrowdTangle will severely limit independent oversight of harms," warned Melanie Smith, director of research at the Institute for Strategic Dialogue.&nbsp;

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"It represents a grave step backwards for social media platform transparency," she said.

Historically, CrowdTangle has alerted researchers about harmful activities such as foreign interference, online harassment, and incitements to violence. It played an important role in quickly identifying "misinformation, voter interference and suppression," during the 2020 US elections.

Global non-profit Mozilla Foundation, along with dozens of technology watchdogs and researchers, has urged Meta to retain CrowdTangle until at least January 2025, citing concerns about the new tool's limitations.&nbsp;

"Abandoning CrowdTangle while the Content Library lacks so much of CrowdTangle's core functionality undermines the fundamental principle of transparency," said the letter.

However, defending the decision, Meta spokesperson Andy Stone said that the Content Library will offer "more comprehensive data than CrowdTangle" and will be accessible to academics and non-profit election integrity experts.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

In a move experts have labelled "a grave step backwards", Facebook owner Meta has decided to decommission CrowdTangle, a vital digital tool for tracking viral falsehoods.

In a move experts have labelled "a grave step backwards", Facebook owner Meta has decided to decommission CrowdTangle, a vital digital tool for tracking viral falsehoods. The move which is scheduled to take effect on August 14, as per experts, will disrupt efforts to detect political misinformation in a major election year. What is CrowdTangle? CrowdTangle, as per an AFP report, is a game-changing tool which for years has offered researchers and journalists crucial real-time transparency into the spread of conspiracy theories and hate speech on Meta-owned platforms, including Facebook and Instagram. The monitoring tool, as per reports, will be replaced by another tool which researchers say lacks the same functionality and that news organisations will largely not have access to. CrowdTangle will be replaced by a new Content Library, a technology still under development. Also read | New study reveals AI's hidden bias in screening depression in Black people The tool, as per tech industry experts, including former CrowdTangle chief executive Brandon Silverman, is currently not an effective replacement, especially in a year when world-over elections are likely to see a proliferation of AI-enabled falsehoods. While Meta claims that the Content Library will contain more comprehensive data than CrowdTangle and will be available to academics and non-profit election integrity experts, concerns remain about access for independent researchers and journalists. However, Meta has announced that the new tool will not be accessible for-profit media. This has raised questions about transparency and accountability. What the experts say This move comes just three months before the 2024 US Presidential election that will see incumbent Joe Biden and Republican rival Donald Trump face off. Not only that, globally, dozens of countries will hold elections this year. "In a year when almost half of the global population is expected to vote in elections, cutting off access to CrowdTangle will severely limit independent oversight of harms," warned Melanie Smith, director of research at the Institute for Strategic Dialogue. Also read | Elon Musk’s X mulling allowing ‘adult content’ in restricted communities "It represents a grave step backwards for social media platform transparency," she said. Historically, CrowdTangle has alerted researchers about harmful activities such as foreign interference, online harassment, and incitements to violence. It played an important role in quickly identifying "misinformation, voter interference and suppression," during the 2020 US elections. Global non-profit Mozilla Foundation, along with dozens of technology watchdogs and researchers, has urged Meta to retain CrowdTangle until at least January 2025, citing concerns about the new tool's limitations. "Abandoning CrowdTangle while the Content Library lacks so much of CrowdTangle's core functionality undermines the fundamental principle of transparency," said the letter. However, defending the decision, Meta spokesperson Andy Stone said that the Content Library will offer "more comprehensive data than CrowdTangle" and will be accessible to academics and non-profit election integrity experts. (With inputs from agencies)

'A grave step backwards': Meta to scrap misinformation monitoring tool CrowdTangle ahead of 2024 US elections

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