In a move that has sparked concerns among researchers and journalists, Meta, the parent company of Facebook, announced the decommissioning of CrowdTangle, a vital digital tool used to track viral falsehoods and misinformation. The decision comes just months before major elections, raising fears of disruptions in efforts to detect political misinformation.
According to Meta, CrowdTangle will be unavailable after August 14, leaving researchers and journalists with limited access to real-time transparency into the spread of conspiracy theories and hate speech on Meta-owned platforms such as Facebook and Instagram. The company plans to replace CrowdTangle with a new tool called Content Library, which some experts argue lacks the same functionality and transparency.
Melanie Smith, director of research at the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, expressed concerns over the move, stating that cutting off access to CrowdTangle will severely limit independent oversight of harms, especially during election periods. The decision has been viewed as a step backward for social media platform transparency, echoing a trend in the tech industry of rolling back transparency and security measures.
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Former CrowdTangle chief executive Brandon Silverman criticized the new tool, emphasizing that it is not an effective replacement, particularly during elections where AI-enabled falsehoods are expected to proliferate. The loss of CrowdTangle’s functions, such as robust search flexibility, poses a direct threat to the integrity of elections, according to experts.
While Meta claims that the Content Library will contain more comprehensive data and be accessible to academics and non-profit election integrity experts, concerns remain about its accessibility and functionality. Journalists, who have relied on CrowdTangle to investigate public health crises and human rights abuses, will no longer have access to the new tool, raising questions about transparency and accountability.
The decision to decommission CrowdTangle comes amid criticism of Meta’s moderation efforts and its handling of misinformation. Tim Harper, a senior policy analyst at the Center for Democracy and Technology, emphasized CrowdTangle’s role in holding Meta accountable for enforcing its policies.
Overall, Meta’s decision to discontinue CrowdTangle has sparked widespread concerns among researchers, journalists, and tech watchdogs, who argue that it undermines transparency and poses risks to the integrity of elections and public discourse.
