[Air-L] Data access progress in Europe

[Tromble, Rebekah]

Dear colleagues,

I wanted to share some good news coming out of Europe regarding digital
platform data access efforts.

Last week the European Digital Media Observatory (EDMO) announced its plans
to set up a working group focused on access to digital platform data for
research (
https://edmo.eu/2020/11/24/call-for-comment-on-gdpr-article-40-working-group/).
The intention is to develop a Code of Conduct under GDPR's Article 40 that
will lay out privacy-compliant processes for data access and in turn
create much greater clarity on the issue for platforms, researchers, and
regulators alike.

And in its just-released European Democracy Action Plan (
https://ec.europa.eu/info/sites/info/files/edap_communication.pdf), the
European Commission has put its considerable weight behind platform
accountability and data access efforts. In a key passage (see section 4.2),
the Commission explicitly states that "the GDPR does not a priori and
across the board prohibit the sharing of personal data by platforms with
researchers." This is intended as a (carefully-worded) rebuke to the
platforms' claims that GDPR prevents them from sharing data with our
community. In the same passage the Commission also embraces EDMO's plans to
develop a framework for "data disclosure" (i.e., the above-mentioned plans
for a Code of Conduct). You should also keep your eye out for the Digital
Services Act to bolster all of this next week.

Though there's still much work to be done, these developments represent a
hard-fought and significant step forward. With the Commission's support, we
have a much better chance of achieving responsible, ethical access to
digital platform data for research--and ultimately, for greater platform
accountability.

But with the work ahead in mind, I would highly value any input you might
wish to share during the month-long consultation period established by EDMO
ahead of its launch of the working group. (Again, see
https://edmo.eu/2020/11/24/call-for-comment-on-gdpr-article-40-working-group/).
This includes expressions of interest in participating in the working group
itself. Comments should be sent to the following email address (edmo at eui.eu).
However, I am also happy to field questions, should you have them.


Rebekah

Dr. Rebekah Tromble
Director, Institute for Data, Democracy & Politics, George Washington
University |
Associate Professor, School of Media & Public Affairs, George Washington
University |
Visiting Researcher, The Alan Turing Institute (London) |
www.rebekahtromble.net
iddp.gwu.edu