Attention: Researchers, Researcher Directors, Chairs, and Deans
Topic: X/Twitter Data Access Beta Test
Authorized X data access for academic and market research has been recently re-established via DiscoverText. We invite scholars and other researchers to join a beta test of this new service. To begin, researchers must sign up for a free account at DiscoverText.com, then schedule a meeting. The beta test will run for 1-2 weeks. All beta test participants will receive a small gratis dataset relevant to their research.
To schedule a meeting:
https://calendly.com/discovertextWhat to expect:
https://youtu.be/BI7XaNW3BPY.
Updated short XSifter demo:
https://youtu.be/lNGyE4a7Apk.
This is the beta version. It allows you to generate estimates using a date range going back 30 days. As the tool evolves, we will let users combine micro sampling, human labeling feedback, and AI to revise queries. The goal will be to reduce data budget waste and return highly responsive datasets. We anticipate version 2 will include access to the complete, undeleted history of X/Twitter. This should be live during the fall semester.
DiscoverText was a university tech transfer that grew out of NSF-funded eRulemaking research from 2000-2008. It is foremost a web-based scientific instrument for improving human and machine learning. The federal government uses it to sort public comments. Corporations use it on large-scale surveys and in eDiscovery. Academics have cited DiscoverText in theses, books, and articles across the disciplines, using diverse methods, and in many languages:
https://tinyurl.com/DT4Twitter.
Though XSifter is new, our work with Twitter dates to 2011. We have spent more than a decade providing a platform compliant with the X/Twitter Terms of Service. This includes live checks for deletions, suspensions, and privacy changes. The pillar of this compliance system is the use of the live X/Twitter display.
The most likely new users of this platform will be from the digital humanities and social science branches of data science. However, health sciences, legal scholars, and a range of other disciplines as well as professions have found the tools and data accessible via our graphical user interface. While research interest in X/Twitter data has dropped significantly due to concerns about ownership, bots, trolls, and the cost of formerly free data, X/Twitter is the press release platform of choice for world leaders, corporations, terrorists, protesters, and citizens alike.
Please share this information widely at your institution.
Thanks,
Stu