A new report from Royal Holloway University reveals how social media platforms are blocking efforts to study political online safety. Researchers warn that this growing obstruction could have serious consequences for democracy.
Political online safety means protecting people’s political beliefs, institutions, and processes from online threats, such as misinformation, hate speech, and foreign interference. It also involves proactive steps, like improving digital literacy, to help people recognize and combat these dangers.
Real consequences
These threats have real-world consequences. They undermine trust in political institutions, fuel polarization and extremism, and can even lead to violence. The problem is getting worse as new tools like generative AI make disinformation harder to detect. Meanwhile, platforms like Meta have cut back on fact-checking, and TikTok faces claims of threatening national security in Western countries.
Social media is now a key player in politics, with many people relying on it for news and political debate. While platforms have made it easier for marginalized groups to be heard, they have also made it easier to spread extremist views and convincing fake news.
The researchers submitted their findings to Ofcom, the UK communications regulator, as part of its review under the Online Safety Act. They argue that social media companies’ restrictions on data access are making it harder for independent researchers to study online threats. The EU is already pushing platforms to reverse this trend, but the UK is falling behind. In the US, tech executives may join forces with Donald Trump to resist regulations.
Flying in the dark
“When researchers can’t study social media, society loses critical knowledge about the threats we face,” the report states.
The authors outline the types of data researchers need, the barriers they face, and why it matters. They propose creating an independent body to oversee research on online platforms, ensuring that academics can do their work without interference.
The stakes are high. Without better access to data, efforts to tackle the harms of social media will falter. Policymakers in the UK must act now to keep up with global efforts to protect democracy from the growing risks of the digital age.
