We are getting closer to the US elections, and that means social media apps are stepping up to the plate to curb the spread of misinformation. However, Meta is leaving many surprised with its recent decision.
Facebook’s parent firm just announced it’s getting rid of its CrowdTangle tool which not a lot of people have heard about in the past. It’s mostly used for investigating violence and false narratives in politics across its apps.
The news raised eyebrows because some felt it was a great tool for monitoring and reporting hate speech. After this, the company was bombarded with requests to rethink the call and put an end to the plans or perhaps wait until the elections were over.
So many regulators also spoke about the risks this decision brings because it’s so helpful for researchers looking for security threats and misinformation during this period.
The tool in question gave experts more insights into the company’s algorithms. People were shown details about how the data went viral. But as time went on, the tool became more and more limited in usage and accepting new users.
For now, Meta’s reps are refusing to comment on the subject. However, some reports spoke about another tool dubbed Meta Content Library. It was described as more detailed and useful that depicted the real picture better.
In that context, Nick Clegg who heads the company’s global affairs mentioned that this new tool was launched to assist people. Hence, users must use it with good intentions so everyone can benefit.
To use it, the company requires researchers with specific backgrounds to apply so it’s less hands-on in terms of access. From now on, we’re hearing more about how hundreds are already claiming it to be non-sufficient. Some do welcome it but to fill in the footsteps of CrowdTangle is going to be a challenge for many.
After the launch, Meta offered its CrowdTangle to all leading global publishers. It was interesting to see Facebook give it for free so that media partners could benefit. Clearly, it was the first time a leading social media network wished to give the public a tool for monitoring.
Many called it the most useful offering that not only identified real from fake but could also track false content. So many conspiracies were debunked including those linked to COVID, Russian operations, and the QAnon conspiracies.
Over so many years, many used it to get more insights about controversial topics. The usage was varied and so diverse. As published by some media outlets, seeing it go is going to be hard for many people.
Researchers, academicians, regulators, and beyond are mourning its loss as they fear nothing can compare to the usefulness that this provided.
Some refer to the shuttering as a huge blow to Meta and its goal to offer transparency through its apps.
Image: DIW-aigen
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