CNRS ISC PIF

Data Protection Information Notice for the Scientific Research Project Open Portability

Social networks and in particular Twitter (now X) have been privileged research objects from the beginning, notably in the field of computational social sciences.

A major transition is underway in the social media landscape. The centralized model, embodied by X (formerly Twitter), is experiencing a massive exodus of users to alternative platforms such as BlueSky and Mastodon. Several million accounts migrated in just weeks, marking a major shift towards decentralized and open networks.

This transition is a major social, economic and technological phenomenon that may reshape the global digital space, particularly European, and could help Europe regain some digital sovereignty.

I. Description of the project and processing

The research objectives are as follows: to analyze the difference between open and closed digital environments of the micro-blogging type from the perspective of social dynamics and online debates. To study as a case study the ongoing migration between X and spaces based on the AT Protocol and Activity Pub open protocols and to study the appropriation of decentralized digital spaces over time (5-year horizon).

The OpenPortability project involves:

Data collection for data portability between social networks
Data collection for a snapshot of the social structure of the X network
Data collection for snapshots of the social structures of alternative networks
Data portability
Data processing and analysis

II. Data collection, recipients and retention

Data collected directly from people and processed are:

Digital identifiers on social networks (user name ID)
Profile names on social networks
Email addresses

Bluesky's personal data protection policy is available on: https://bsky.social/about/support/privacy-policy

Mastodon's personal data protection policy is available on https://joinmastodon.org/servers

III. Security Measures

To ensure confidentiality and data protection, measures are taken in accordance with the State's information systems security policy, applied to the CNRS. Data is hosted in France on CNRS servers.

IV. Exercise of Your Rights

You can access and obtain a copy of the data concerning you, object to the processing of this data or have it corrected. You also have the right to limit the processing of your data. You can exercise these rights by contacting the data controller at the Institute of Complex Systems-Paris Ile de France, located at 113 rue Nationale 75013 Paris, or using the contact form available on https://openportability.org/

You can also contact the CNRS Data Protection Officer at the following address: CNRS - Data Protection Service, 2 rue Jean Zay, 54519 Vandoeuvre-lès-Nancy - dpd.demandes@cnrs.fr.

If you believe that your data protection rights are not being respected, you have the option to lodge a complaint online with the CNIL, 3 Place de Fontenoy, TSA 80715 – 75334 Paris Cedex 07 (https://www.cnil.fr/).