Kishwar publishes article on methods of researching social media algorithms
Doctoral student Aanila Kishwar’s article, “Facebook’s data enclave and the woes of researching social media recommendation algorithms: A reflection on methods,” was published in First Monday. The study focuses on Facebook as a social media company that has increasingly limited public access to data, shrinking opportunities for independent studies on the logistics of the platform.
Kishwar argues that this system is unfair and signifies a concerning turn in company transparency. While billions of people use social media, only the companies and a few approved partners can closely examine how content is selected and shown, making it difficult for outsiders to understand or question how these systems shape public life.
The article was published in the journal on Dec. 13.