📑 Our policy paper from last year, in which we predicted initial vetting to be slow & strict, with few accepted applications at first. It's a collaborative experiment between DSCs and researchers - shared standards will emerge from trial and error.
www.weizenbaum-library.de/handle/id/949
🔍 Key learnings from their rejected request by @cgoanta.bsky.social and @andai.bsky.social:
1. Art. 40 is mainly a legal administrative procedure
2. It's about institutional capacities
3. It takes time, so apply only when prepared
4. It's not a magic bullet
dsa-observatory.eu/2026/03/12/i...
📄 @algorithmwatch.org's initial request (spearheaded by @olivermmarsh.bsky.social)
They wanted to know how many people are still visiting websites after searches, versus just reading the AI Overviews and staying on Google Search.
algorithmwatch.org/en/google-ai...
New to DSA data access? Check out the links below:
📋 CnaM application guidance
www.cnam.ie/app/uploads/...
Also sign up to their newsletter!
The DSA40 Data Access Tracker Keep track of your access application We call upon researchers and other non-profit organisations to share their data access requests with us, so that we can - inform the public about the success rate of access requests - develop guidance for successful access requests - inform ongoing regulatory processes
🚨 First DSA Art. 40(4) data access decisions are in! Coimisiún na Meán has sent out its first responses to researcher applications.
Did you apply for DSA data access? Log it in the DSA40 Tracker (takes ~10 min): www.soscisurvey.de/DSA40applica...
Your input helps build researcher support tools!
If you applied for 40.4 DSA access, I'd be super interested to chat (we @algorithmwatch.org did - algorithmwatch.org/en/google-ai...).
And also, remember, fill in the @dsa40collaboratory.bsky.social tracker! www.soscisurvey.de/DSA40applica...
Zitatkachel mit dem GFF-Juristen Joschka Selinger: „Auch die großen Digitalkonzerne stehen nicht über dem Gesetz. Der DSA ist ein scharfes Schwert für digitale Rechte und Plattformregulierung.“
Durchbruch für digitale Rechte – und für den Kampf gegen #Desinformation und #Wahlbeeinflussung online: Das Kammergericht Berlin entschied heute, dass die Plattform #X unserer Partnerorganisation @democracyreporting.bsky.social Zugang zu #Forschungsdaten geben muss. 💪
the background depicts the proposed amendment, the foreground reads "Open Letter: The Amendment to Article 12, paragraph 5 GDPR in the Omnibus Proposal Undermines Evidence-Based Policymaking"
We've published an Open Letter urging EU policymakers to reject the Digital Omnibus' proposed Amendment to Article 12(5) GDPR, which would undermine citizens' data access rights & the researchers who depend on them for #DataDonation research.
Read & sign: shorturl.at/e1mr4 - your signature matters.
Today in Tech Policy Press: @markscott.bsky.social and our coordinator @lkseiling.bsky.social write about the precarious state of data access - and the care required to realise its potential as a foundational democratic function.
The full article is freely accessible through the link below ⬇️
Excited to have used the brand new Digital Services Act 40.4 Data Access Portal to request data on Google AI Overviews.
Thanks to support from @spielkamp.bsky.social @lejlamarcius.bsky.social & Michele Loi, plus great prep resources from @dsa40collaboratory.bsky.social, @bnetza.bsky.social & others
The key terms here are:
1) burdensome procedures
2)burdensome tools
While the findings themselves are not public, let's take a closer look 🧵👇
We already have over 100 sign-ups but a few spots are still available for Day 1 of the Data Access Days on research access to platform data under the Digital Services Act (DSA) — happening on 25 September 2025.
Join us in Berlin! 👉 dsa40collaboratory.eu/data-access-...
#DSA40 #DigitalServicesAct
The number "#3" next to an icon of a thermometer with a plus next to it. Above both, the newsletters release day is shown: 31.07.2025
It’s been a while — but our newsletter is finally here!
In this edition, we skip the “risk in focus” to bring you:
🛠️ An update on what we’ve been doing
📊 Our top 5 insights data access highlights
🗓️ An overview of upcoming calls, workshops, and ongoing surveys
dsa40collaboratory.eu/newsletters/...
Register to the #DSA40 Data Access days today before we reach maximum capacity!
Join us in Berlin, September 25 & 26 - to connect and collaborate around DSA-based data access!
More info here: dsa40collaboratory.eu/data-access-...
„Wer beim Forschungsdatenzugang jetzt liefern muss” –
@lkseiling.bsky.social, @dscheykopp.bsky.social,
@claesdevreese.bsky.social & @ulrikeklinger.bsky.social heute im @tspbackground.bsky.social:
🔗 t1p.de/zf6pa ⬅️
#dsa @dsa40collaboratory.bsky.social
@dscheykopp.bsky.social, @ulrikeklinger.bsky.social, @lkseiling.bsky.social
Want to rise to the occasion? Join our data access days to connect with other researchers working on and with data access and to start drafting your own Art. 40(4) application!
👉 dsa40collaboratory.eu/data-access-...
For Tech Policy Press, the Collaboratory's core team and
@claesdevreese.bsky.social outline key provisions, changes from the draft version, and stakeholder responsibilities clarified by the recently adopted delegated act on data access.
A visual comparision between Recital 12 of the draft delegated act (DDA) and Recital 13 of the adopted version (DA), which cover the same content. Multiple highlights show text removed from the DDA in red, text added in the DA in green, and changes in references (e.g. article numbers and/or paragraph labels) in yellow.
Wanna know what changed between the Draft of the Delegated Act on Research Data Access in the #DSA?
We've aligned the relevant passages and just published the comparison on our website: dsa40collaboratory.eu/dda-da-compa...
Data & code used are available on our github: github.com/access-colla...
🧩 Want to dive deeper and collaborate on data access strategies?
Join us in Berlin at the Data Access Days, Sept 25–26. Let’s shape the next phase of platform research together.
dsa40collaboratory.eu/data-access-...
8) 🧭 Access Platform is live:
Explore the new Commission portal: data-access.dsa.ec.europa.eu/home
We suggest creating an account and exploring login options early on.
9) 📅 When can I submit?
Likely Q4 2025. A 2-month grace period follows the adoption. We’ll keep you posted.
6) 🔐 Secure data processing:
Applications will require proper data security measures (e.g., DPIAs). A challenge for some fields, but also an opportunity to build trust.
7) 💶 No cost (for now):
The Act is silent on fees – suggesting access should be free. But nothing’s ruled out entirely.
5) 🧠 Rich datasets available:
Recital 13 confirms access to:
→ Profile info, network data, content exposure, recommendation mechanisms, interaction histories – crucial for communication researchers.
3) 📊 Right to high-quality data:
If data under 40.12 is flawed or insufficient, researchers can turn to 40.4 for better access.
4) 📁 Platform data catalogues:
Platforms must publish and update detailed data inventories. This improves transparency and lets researchers know what to ask for.
2) 🌍 Open to researchers outside Europe:
Researchers worldwide can apply, as long as their work concerns systemic risks in the EU. A strong sign for international collaboration.
1) 🕒 Tight timeframes for access:
DSCs (e.g., BNetzA in Germany) must decide within 80 days.
Mediation processes can’t exceed 65 days.
→ Platforms will not be able to delay requests indefinitely.
🔍 The Delegated Act sets out the criteria and process for these requests – complementing Article 40.12, which covers public data access. For a quick explainer on the difference, check our FAQ: dsa40collaboratory.eu/faq/
But...
🚀 why this the Delegated Act good news for researchers?
dark blue background. on it, there is text saying "The Delegated Act on 40.4 DATA ACCESS is here", "Delegated Act on 40.4 DATA ACCESS" is yellow, the other text is white.
📢 Big news for platform researchers across Europe and beyond:
Today, the @ec.europa.eu adopted the Delegated Act for Article 40 of the Digital Services Act (DSA) – a long-anticipated milestone enabling researchers to request access to non-public platform data under Article 40.4.
Platforms need to be researched on the risks they pose to society, like our civic discourse or our mental health. But the relationships between researchers, platforms and regulators are complicated. @lkseiling.bsky.social presenting their work on the #DSA at #WIConf2025