Meta kills off misinformation tracking tool CrowdTangle despite pleas from researchers, journalists

AP Technology Writer

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Facebook and Instagram parent Meta Platforms has shut down CrowdTangle. That was a tool widely used by researchers, watchdog organizations and journalists to monitor social media posts, notably to track how misinformation spreads on its platforms. The shutdown was protested by researchers and nonprofits. Dozens of groups including the Center for Democracy and Technology, the Digital Forensic Research Lab at the Atlantic Council, Human Rights Watch and NYU’s Center for Social Media & Politics sent a letter to the company asking that it keep the tool running through at least January so it would be available through the U.S. presidential elections.