Central Louisiana News

U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and Chris Coons (D-DE) have expressed strong disapproval of Meta's decision to shut down CrowdTangle, a transparency tool used by researchers to monitor public content on Facebook, Instagram, and other platforms. This action comes despite the senators' previous request for Meta to delay the shutdown.

“Meta’s response only highlights the need for more oversight and scrutiny of Big Tech. They dodged our questions because they felt they could. If they need a reason to comply with Congress, let’s pass our Platform Accountability and Transparency Act and give them one,” stated Dr. Cassidy.

Senator Coons added, “I am disappointed that Meta ended access to an important social media transparency tool right before a critical election, despite bipartisan and bicameral support for an extension. I am further troubled that Meta provided no meaningful response to the specific questions my colleagues and I raised. Meta’s unwillingness to provide meaningful transparency on its own demonstrates why it’s so important that the Senate takes up and passes my Platform Accountability and Transparency Act.”

Last month, Cassidy, Coons, and 15 congressional colleagues sent a letter urging Meta to delay ending access to CrowdTangle by six months due to concerns over national security threats, the effects of social media on children’s mental health, the expansion of generative artificial intelligence, and upcoming elections worldwide.

In its recent response, Meta declined to extend CrowdTangle's availability, instead promoting its Meta Content Library and Content Library API as replacements. However, these alternatives were criticized in the lawmakers' letter for their limitations compared to CrowdTangle. Additionally, Meta did not address requests regarding how many entities currently have access to these new tools or reported delays in obtaining such access. Unlike CrowdTangle, the new tool will not be accessible to for-profit news organizations.

Cassidy and Coons highlighted last year's introduction of the bipartisan Platform Accountability and Transparency Act (PATA), co-sponsored by Senators John Cornyn (R-TX), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Mitt Romney (R-UT), and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT). The bill aims to increase transparency from social media companies towards both the public and researchers. A specific provision within PATA would mandate major platforms make tools like CrowdTangle available for studying public content.

In light of this development, Cassidy and Coons are calling on the Senate to advance PATA so that researchers can continue accessing crucial data needed for analyzing social media's societal impacts.