Platform-controlled social media APIs threaten open science

Brittany I. Davidson; Darja Wischerath; Daniel Racek; Douglas A. Parry; Emily Godwin; Joanne Hinds; Dirk van der Linden; Jonathan F. Roscoe; Laura Ayravainen; Alicia G. Cork

doi:10.1038/s41562-023-01750-2

Platform-controlled social media APIs threaten open science

Brittany I. Davidson^*, Darja Wischerath, Daniel Racek, Douglas A. Parry, Emily Godwin, Joanne Hinds, Dirk van der Linden, Jonathan F. Roscoe, Laura Ayravainen, Alicia G. Cork

^*Corresponding author for this work

School of Computer Science

Research output: Contribution to journal › Comment/debate › peer-review

54 Citations (Scopus)

180 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Social media data enable insights into human behaviour. Researchers can access these data via platform-provided application programming interfaces (APIs), but these come with restrictive usage terms that mean studies cannot be reproduced or replicated. Platform-owned APIs hinder access, transparency and scientific knowledge.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	2054-2057
Number of pages	4
Journal	Nature Human Behaviour
Volume	7
Issue number	12
Early online date	2 Nov 2023
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-023-01750-2
Publication status	Published - 1 Dec 2023

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Davidson et al 2023Accepted author manuscript, 334 KBLicence: CC BY

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title = "Platform-controlled social media APIs threaten open science",

abstract = "Social media data enable insights into human behaviour. Researchers can access these data via platform-provided application programming interfaces (APIs), but these come with restrictive usage terms that mean studies cannot be reproduced or replicated. Platform-owned APIs hinder access, transparency and scientific knowledge.",

author = "Davidson, \{Brittany I.\} and Darja Wischerath and Daniel Racek and Parry, \{Douglas A.\} and Emily Godwin and Joanne Hinds and \{van der Linden\}, Dirk and Roscoe, \{Jonathan F.\} and Laura Ayravainen and Cork, \{Alicia G.\}",

note = "Funding information: This work was part-funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC grant ref: EP/W522090/1) as a PhD studentship to D.W. as an EPSRC iCASE with B.I.D. and J.F.R. This work also was part-funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC grant ref: EP/SO22465/1) as a PhD studentship to E.G. via the CDT in Cybersecurity TIPS-at-scale.",

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AU - Davidson, Brittany I.

AU - Wischerath, Darja

AU - Racek, Daniel

AU - Parry, Douglas A.

AU - Godwin, Emily

AU - Hinds, Joanne

AU - van der Linden, Dirk

AU - Roscoe, Jonathan F.

AU - Ayravainen, Laura

AU - Cork, Alicia G.

N1 - Funding information: This work was part-funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC grant ref: EP/W522090/1) as a PhD studentship to D.W. as an EPSRC iCASE with B.I.D. and J.F.R. This work also was part-funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC grant ref: EP/SO22465/1) as a PhD studentship to E.G. via the CDT in Cybersecurity TIPS-at-scale.

PY - 2023/12/1

Y1 - 2023/12/1

N2 - Social media data enable insights into human behaviour. Researchers can access these data via platform-provided application programming interfaces (APIs), but these come with restrictive usage terms that mean studies cannot be reproduced or replicated. Platform-owned APIs hinder access, transparency and scientific knowledge.

AB - Social media data enable insights into human behaviour. Researchers can access these data via platform-provided application programming interfaces (APIs), but these come with restrictive usage terms that mean studies cannot be reproduced or replicated. Platform-owned APIs hinder access, transparency and scientific knowledge.

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85175549913

U2 - 10.1038/s41562-023-01750-2

DO - 10.1038/s41562-023-01750-2

M3 - Comment/debate

SN - 2397-3374

VL - 7

SP - 2054

EP - 2057

JO - Nature Human Behaviour

JF - Nature Human Behaviour

IS - 12

ER -

Platform-controlled social media APIs threaten open science

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