Hello, The countdown is on. In less than one month, Meta is set to kill its industry-leading transparency tool, CrowdTangle – and its replacement *still* isn’t as effective or accessible for the researchers monitoring election monitors. But here’s the good news: after months of sustained pressure from the Mozilla community, election integrity experts and regulators, Meta’s starting to crack. They’ve begun to make significant changes that directly respond to some of our collective demands. Here’s a list of our demands and how Meta has responded to them (so far): What we’re calling for: Regularly consult the global CrowdTangle community to ensure the Content Library becomes an effective tool. | | Meta’s response: Meta has agreed to meet with CrowdTangle researchers and listen to their concerns to improve the tool. |
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What we’re calling for: Quickly onboard all CrowdTangle users focused on election integrity to their new tool, Content Library – including NGOs, researchers, and news outlets. | | Meta’s response: Meta has expanded Content Library access to researchers and advocacy groups. But concerns remain about the burdensome application process, denial of access to journalists from for-profit newsrooms, and Meta’s need to still onboard tens of thousands of organisations who have applied for access. |
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What we’re calling for: As soon as possible, both the Content Library and CrowdTangle should include data on election-related labels added by Meta, particularly regarding fact-checking and voter interference. | | Meta’s response: Meta has yet to implement this change – their refusal to label election-related content compromises our collective ability to protect elections from disinformation and hate speech. |
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What we’re calling for: Keep CrowdTangle functioning beyond August 14. | | Meta’s response: So far, Meta has refused to extend their deadline and plans to shut down CrowdTangle on 14 August – despite its replacement still lacking substantial upgrades to its functionality. |
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The changes that Meta has made are a step in the right direction, but they are still not enough and the clock is ticking. With less than a month left, we need to push Meta to make these critical changes to the transparency and accessibility of the new Content Library – or keep CrowdTangle functioning until these improvements are made. In this crucial final month, let’s pile on the pressure on Meta and make clear to them how important it is to maintain CrowdTangle’s approach and protect the integrity of elections.1 Add your name to demand Meta make these urgent upgrades to their new Content Library – or decide to maintain CrowdTangle. Whatever Meta chooses to do next will have a direct effect on election integrity experts and their ability to do their work. What happens next will determine whether journalists, researchers and watchdogs will have an effective tool to track content during critical democratic moments. And what happens next will directly affect our collective ability to understand how disinformation, hate speech and voter-suppression content spread on Facebook and Instagram. Our pressure so far has gotten Meta to make some improvements – but it’ll be our sustained pressure over the next month that’ll determine whether the world continues to have a suitable transparency tool for monitoring disinformation on Facebook and Instagram. Together, let’s do everything we can over the next month to maintain CrowdTangle’s approach and to protect elections. Join our final push now and tell Meta to upgrade their Content Library – or maintain CrowdTangle. The final month is critical in this campaign to maintain transparency on Facebook and Instagram, and your support can help get this campaign over the finish line. Thank you for all you do for the internet, and to protect elections around the world. Claire Pershan EU Advocacy Lead Mozilla
More Information: 1. For some recent examples of online disinformation spread during major democratic moments, take a look at a list of threats documented during this year’s European elections. |