On 7 May 2024, ISD and the Center for American Progress sent a letter to Meta executives on behalf of 51 organizations and researchers about the company’s decision to shut down CrowdTangle and replace it with the Meta Content Library after 14 August 2024. 

The letter outlines numerous concerns over the limitations of the tool’s replacement and makes two requests: 1) ensuring the continued operation of CrowdTangle beyond Inauguration Day, through at least 31 January 2025, and 2) guaranteeing ongoing access to the Meta Content Library for organizations currently using CrowdTangle. 

“The gaps in functionality and access between CrowdTangle and the announced Meta Content Library, coupled with a lack of access for key partners, will lead to substantial vulnerabilities during a key election year,” the letter reads. “This decision jeopardizes essential pre- and post-election oversight mechanisms and undermines Meta’s transparency efforts during this critical period, and at a time when social trust and digital democracy are alarmingly fragile.”

The letter was featured by Axios in its Tech Policy newsletter.  

The full sign-on letter is available here.