Exclusive: Elon Musk’s X Restructuring Limits Disinformation Research and Raises Legal Concerns By Reuters

By Sheila Dang

Social media researchers have either canceled, suspended, or altered over 100 studies related to X, previously known as Twitter, due to access restrictions imposed by Elon Musk. These changes have hindered researchers’ abilities to track the origin and dissemination of misinformation during critical events, such as recent conflicts involving Hamas and Israel.

A crucial tool used by researchers allowed access to data from 10 million tweets each month. However, in February, X announced it would terminate free academic access to this application programming interface (API) as part of a broader tool overhaul.

A survey conducted in September by the Coalition for Independent Technology Research, at the request of Reuters, revealed the first concrete data on how many studies have been canceled due to Musk’s policies. It also highlighted that many researchers fear potential legal actions related to their findings or data usage, particularly following X’s lawsuit against the Center for Countering Digital Hate after the organization released critical reports on content moderation.

Musk did not respond to a request for comment, and an X representative declined to provide insights. The company has previously stated that nearly all content interactions on the platform are with “healthy” posts.

Musk’s first year as owner of X has been marked by a dramatic decline in advertising revenue, with reports indicating at least a 55% decrease in U.S. ad revenue month-over-month since his acquisition.

The survey indicated 30 projects were canceled, 47 were stalled, and 27 were adjusted to different platforms. While there are still 47 ongoing projects, researchers noted that their capability to gather new data is significantly limited.

Among the affected studies are those concerning hate speech and critical regulatory scrutiny topics. For instance, one stalled project aimed to assess child safety on the platform, which had recently faced fines from an Australian regulator over non-compliance with anti-child abuse investigations.

Many researchers participating in the survey chose to remain anonymous due to concerns about backlash from X. An author of the survey acknowledged that researchers might wish to avoid repercussions or protect their ongoing work.

European regulators are also examining X’s handling of misinformation, which has also led to the cancellation or stalling of several independent research projects, as indicated by the survey.

Josephine Lukito, an assistant professor at the University of Texas at Austin, expressed concern over the diminished capacity to study the platform, stating that it leaves users vulnerable to increased hate speech and misinformation.

Prior to Musk’s acquisition, Twitter was a primary source for social media studies due to its accessible data on political discourse and current events. Since Musk took ownership, he has implemented significant layoffs, including those affecting teams that built research tools.

Currently, X offers three paid tiers for API access ranging from $100 to $42,000 per month, with the lower-priced options providing significantly less data than previously available to researchers for free. Most researchers indicated they cannot afford these new costs.

Former employees attributed the decision to end free access to an urgent need for revenue generation and cost reduction following Musk’s takeover. The high costs have made valuable research, especially leading up to the significant election year of 2024, exceedingly difficult.

Researchers have reported they are “flying blind” in tracking disinformation efforts linked to China without affordable data access from the API. Limited alternatives now exist for studying X, as many have resorted to manually analyzing posts.

Other platforms are also imposing restrictions on research data access. For example, TikTok introduced a research API earlier this year, but its stringent terms make it challenging for researchers to utilize effectively. In contrast, Meta Platforms has engaged in partnerships with external researchers, though this type of collaboration does not equate to independent research.

The Center for Countering Digital Hate has published critical reports asserting that X has profited from harmful content and failed to adequately moderate it. In July, X initiated a lawsuit against this organization, claiming improper data access and the spread of misinformation regarding its moderation practices.

Concerns about potential legal repercussions loom over researchers; 104 out of 167 survey respondents expressed trepidation about possible legal action regarding their findings or data usage. This sentiment underscores a chilling effect, with researchers fearing liability for publicly sharing their results.

Musk and X CEO Linda Yaccarino have introduced a policy of “freedom of speech, not reach,” which places restrictions on the visibility of some posts while not removing them from the platform. X maintains that 99% of content seen by users is “healthy,” a claim it attributes to estimates from a third-party software company.

A spokesperson for that company declined to confirm the figures referenced in X’s statements and indicated that recent external communications were not done with their involvement.