Meta shutters tool used to fight disinformation, despite outcry
Meta is shutting down its CrowdTangle tool, despite researchers petitioning the company to keep it going through January 2025. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
National Public Radio
Meta has been bombarded by academics, researchers, politicians and regulators about a tool called CrowdTangle, which most people probably haven’t heard of. It’s been used to investigate the spread of violence, political disinformation and false narratives on Facebook and Instagram.
On Wednesday, less than three months before the U.S. election, Meta is shutting CrowdTangle down.
“Against this backdrop, Meta decided to kill one of the best tools that civil society had to monitor and report on the hate speech and election interference that is almost certain to proliferate on its platforms,” said Brandi Geurkink, executive director of the Coalition for Independent Technology Research.
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