This week, Facebook is embarking on a striking new experiment with the Social Science Research Council – an American non-profit organisation that supports research into disciplines such as psychology, sociology and anthropology.
Several months ago, the Silicon Valley tech giant announced that it would let academics request access to data on its two billion users, under the guidance of the SSRC and a new, independent academic group called Social Science One. This represents the first properly controlled, peer-reviewed research framework using Facebook data. (Although some academics have used social media data before, it was done in an ad hoc manner.)
So, from August 9, the SSRC and Social Science One will review research proposals from academics – and in the autumn will decide who will receive both the funding and the all-important permission to access the data to see what Facebook activity tells us about the human condition.