Meta’s decision to shut down CrowdTangle, an analytics tool crucial to the research community, is now facing increased scrutiny from European Union regulators. The EU Commission, initially concerned about Meta discontinuing the tool before global elections in 2024, is pressing the company for more information regarding its collaboration with researchers. This move comes as part of a broader investigation into Meta’s handling of disinformation campaigns and election-related policies. Despite calls from researchers and civil society organizations to keep CrowdTangle online until after the elections, regulators are reminding Meta of its obligation under the Digital Services Act to grant external researchers access to its data. While Meta has introduced the Meta Content Library as a replacement for CrowdTangle, researchers have expressed concerns about the controlled access and limited functionality of this new tool. Meta defended its decision to discontinue CrowdTangle, stating that they have developed more comprehensive research tools and are engaging with the European Commission on the matter. An update on August 16, 2024, included a statement from Meta regarding the situation.
