"Unlocking Bluesky: Massive Dataset for Research!" (Source: 404 Media, "Someone Made a Dataset of One Million Bluesky Posts for Machine Learning Research")

Information Environment
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Executive Summary

A dataset comprising one million public Bluesky posts was released for machine learning research but was subsequently removed due to concerns over transparency and user consent. This incident underscores the ethical complexities involved in handling social media data for research purposes.

Main Points

  1. Dataset Release:

    • Daniel van Strien, a machine learning librarian at Hugging Face, released a dataset containing one million public posts from Bluesky Social.
    • The dataset included text content, metadata, media attachments, and reply relationships, intended for machine learning research and social media data experimentation.
    • For the dataset description, see the Hugging Face repository.
    • Daniel van Strien also posted about the dataset on Bluesky: Original Post.

  2. Community Concerns:

    • The release sparked discussions about the ethics of collecting and sharing social media data without explicit user consent.
    • Critics highlighted potential violations of transparency and consent principles in data collection.

  3. Dataset Removal:

    • Following the backlash, van Strien removed the dataset from the repository.
    • He acknowledged the oversight, stating: “I recognize this approach violated principles of transparency and consent in data collection. I apologize for this mistake.” Source on Bluesky.

  4. Ethical Considerations:

    • The incident highlights the ethical challenges in using publicly available social media data for research.
    • It emphasizes the need for clear guidelines and adherence to ethical standards to protect user privacy and consent.

  5. Implications for Future Research:

    • Researchers are urged to consider the ethical implications of data collection methods.
    • The case serves as a reminder to balance research objectives with respect for user rights and platform policies.

Original Link: Someone Made a Dataset of One Million Bluesky Posts for 'Machine Learning Research'

12ft.io Link: https://12ft.io/https://www.404media.co/someone-made-a-dataset-of-one-million-bluesky-posts-for-machine-learning-research/
Archive.org Link: Someone Made a Dataset of One Million Bluesky Posts for 'Machine Learning Research'

for more on see the post on bypassing methods