Madrid, January 30 (Portaltic/EP) –
Target has announced its Partnership with Open Science Center ,COS, To execute one of the United States pilot program With which they intend to study issues related to well-being and social networks, for which it will be transferred to a group of researchers “Certain data” of users. who use their platform “Protecting your privacy.”
The company led by Mark Zuckerberg, owner of platforms like Instagram, Facebook and Threads, has shared its intention contribute To understand the scientific community How is social media use related to well-being? of users.
In this sense, Meta has partnered with open science center Through data collected from users, with the intention of implementing Study about people’s well-being and how social networks can affect them. The purpose of this study is to aid the public’s scientific understanding “How different factors may or may not affect users’ well-being” and, Get the form based on all this Help people “grow”.
Specifically, as COS points out in a statement on its website, it is a pilot program in which goal Will share “certain social media data” that will be protected privately With a selected group of academic researchers to study topics related to wellness.
Project Will use new types of research processes Which, as detailed by COS, have become popular in the “open science movement”, such as Pre-registration or initial peer reviewWith which he has ensured a “promising innovation”.
For example, when using the method of initial peer reviewThe Researchers will submit a proposal Research questions and methodology Review research results before viewing,
Thus as they have evolved, they have acquired “Improved hardness”, Since it is necessary that Researchers plan their methodology “clearly and quickly”, Thus, experts independent of the study will peer review the questions and methodology before the study is even conducted.
Similarly, as COS principal scientific researcher Andrew explained in detail. Tyner, with the model of registered report promotes a Prior commitment on how questions will be tested and evidence evaluated,
On the other hand, Tyner also emphasizes that, once the study is completed, All results will be released and “not just those that confirm a hypothesis or support a major theory.” Apart from all this, the COS has specified that it will act only as a third party and will invite “a select group of researchers” to submit proposals for registered reports.
That is, the functioning of this project starts from Arrival of proposals from researchers, As well as research plans to analyze potential relationships between people’s well-being and social networks. Request for specific data Of Meta’s social network.
If these proposals are accepted Following an independent scientific review of “quality and rigor”, researchers will move forward Analyze relevant data shared by Meta, Finally, once results are obtained, “to further transparency and allow reproducibility of findings”, analysis and The final report will be publicly available,
However, both Meta and COS have highlighted that “Will cooperate to implement privacy safeguards” To provide security regarding the use of data of social network users.
For his part, Meta’s vice president of research, Curtis Cobb, has pointed out that the company You agree to participate in this study “while respecting the privacy of those who use your app”, Similarly, he reiterated that COS has “a proven track record of scientific rigor and supporting complex open science projects.”
it’s about a Pilot project with an estimated duration of two years And which is still in the “early planning stage”, awaiting Start “in the coming months”.
With all this, according to Tim Arrington, senior research director of COS, it The partnership between META and COS represents “an important step” towards promoting openness and collaboration between “academia and industry”. Therefore, with this pilot project, they also aim to “set new standards” for future practices in sharing data with the research community.“Ultimately, the public interest is benefiting.”
The pilot project on well-being and social networks is presented before a panorama in which these Platforms are present in the daily lives of users On a regular basis, e.g. Another form of communication between peopleEven as a socialization tool with strangers or as a Space for personal expression, They are also used as a Connection performance and appearance in the work environment,
However, regular use of these platforms also presents Some complications that may harm the userwith issues related to use timea kind of Content that has been published Or the social relationships that develop in these places. even reaching Change the psychological and social realities of users.
This situation becomes Particularly complicated when minor users are the only ones using the social network.Because they can be exposed to features and content that, for example, inspire harmful behavior Like eating disorders or bullying. Similarly, they should also Confront algorithms that promote continued use of the platformDue to which there may be difficulty in concentration or time management.
In this frame, Meta has been involved in some lawsuits for not guaranteeing certain security measures Against the use of your social network by minor users.
Thus, as revealed in November, the company faces Lawsuit brought by several states of the United StatesWhich states that, from the year 2019, The company has received more than 1.1 million reports about the existence of small user accounts 13 years old (the minimum usage age) on Instagram and in response, it has disabled only a fraction of these accounts.
Following the same line, in the month of October last year Attorneys general of 33 US states also filed a joint lawsuit against MetaIn which he has accused the company Mislead users about disadvantages Their platforms – like Facebook and Instagram – do this to minors.