http://dx.doi.org/10.17176/20210907-214355-0 https://verfassungsblog.de/power-dsa-dma-14/ Platform research access in Article 31 of the Digital Services Act - Sword without a shield? Leerssen, Paddy eng 2021-09-07 electronic resource text/html ddc:342 Academic Freedom DSA Platform Governance Verfassungsblog Verfassungsblog--2366-7044 CC BY-SA 4.0 Over the past year, dominant platforms such as Facebook have repeatedly interfered with independent research projects, prompting calls for reform. Platforms are shaping up as gatekeepers not only of online content and commerce, but of research into these phenomena. As self-regulation flounders, researchers are hopeful for Article 31 of the proposed Digital Services Act, on “Data Access and Scrutiny” - a highly ambitious tool to compel access to certain data, but researchers also need a shield to protect them against interference with their independent projects.