In order to help researchers analyze behavior on the platform and trends, Twitter is opening up its entire archive of tweets for free. The social media company is changing the dynamic regarding the information it shares with academic researchers and developers through its API.
Twitter enhances API options for academic research
This is not the first time Twitter has given access to its archive of public tweets, but the modality is completely different. While Twitter has had a love-hate relationship with developers, as it has not made things easy for them, they mention that they have worked to make their archive an easy-to-use tool, and one that does not complicate the work of academic researchers.
For example, a new filtering dynamic is now integrated that will make it easier to concentrate data collection only on the information relevant to their studies. And as a bonus, they can count on a series of guides, tutorials and different tools to take advantage of the full potential of the Twitter API for research work.
On the other hand, one of the novelties of this new Twitter initiative is that academic researchers will be able to access all the information free of charge. Until now, only premium or enterprise users could access the full Twitter history, an option that is now extended to all researchers.
So they will no longer need to pay to access certain data from the Twitter API. Academic researchers or developers will only need to apply to have access to this Twitter archive, following the instructions found at this link.
Each of the applicants will go through a review process, as Twitter must analyze a series of criteria to see if they meet the requirements. This new dynamic that Twitter promises with respect to the use of its API, opens a range of possibilities for studies related to conversations in social networks, disinformation, the role they play in the electoral stage, among other topics.
