The Data Divide: How Social Media’s Black Box Policies Threaten Research

In the wake of high-profile election interference cases, researchers have been seeking access to social media data to study online disinformation campaigns. However, despite the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA), platforms like TikTok are erecting barriers to data access.

Adriana Iamnitchi, chair of computational social sciences at Maastricht University, applied for access to TikTok’s API under the DSA in October 2025. Her request was rebuffed due to concerns over her credentials, commercial interests, and security measures. Yet, two months later, TikTok removed over 27,000 fake accounts promoting a Romanian politician without disclosing who was behind the operation.

This behavior highlights the tension between social media companies’ desire to control their data and researchers’ need to scrutinize its impact on society. The DSA aimed to facilitate research access but has been thwarted by platforms’ narrow interpretations of what constitutes a “systemic risk.” As a result, even vetted researchers from credible institutions must navigate complex application processes and meet impractical security requirements.

The consequence is a data divide that imperils scientific inquiry. Without API data, researchers rely on secondary sources or publicly available tools like CrowdTangle, which have been curtailed by platforms in recent years. This hampers research and undermines efforts to combat online disinformation and election interference.

The problem is compounded by the fact that platforms often make it difficult for researchers to reproduce results or verify data quality – a basic requirement of scientific rigor. According to the DSA40 Collaboratory, which tracks EU applications under the DSA, only 20 out of 46 tracked applications were approved, while 14 were rejected.

TikTok’s spokesperson claims that the company has given over 1,500 research teams access to its tools, but this belies the complexity of the issue. Researchers like Iamnitchi face a daunting task in navigating platforms’ policies and procedures – only to find themselves stymied by data access issues.

As social media’s influence on global politics grows, it is imperative that researchers have unfettered access to platform data to study its impact. The DSA was meant to address this need but has fallen short. Until platforms like TikTok and Meta prioritize transparency and accountability, the black box of online disinformation will remain shrouded in mystery – and society will continue to pay the price.

The stakes are high: without robust research, policymakers may be flying blind as they grapple with the existential threats posed by social media. It’s time for platforms to rethink their data access policies and for regulators to hold them accountable. The public interest demands nothing less.