More than 60 researchers from 30 academic institutions in 11 countries were chosen via review process by the Social Science Research Council, a U.S. non-profit, and Social Science One, a group that facilitates partnerships between academic researchers and the private industry. Facebook did not play a role in the selection process. The dataset will have personally identifiable information removed and can only be accessed through what the company calls a “secure portal.” (Facebook, Engadget)

Talking point: Researchers will have access to an unprecedented amount of internal Facebook data—6.9 billion page posts, 1.2 billion group posts, 11.2 million verified profile posts and 1.6 billion Instagram posts, according to Engadget. That Facebook is offering researchers this much information suggests it’s taking seriously its role in spreading misinformation and how that affects voting behaviour—responsibility for which the platform had previously distanced itself from. The research effort itself is a reaction to allegations of foreign influence in the 2016 U.S. presidential election and in Britain’s Brexit vote. Participating researchers cited ongoing and upcoming elections as reasons for the study’s urgency, including those in India and the European Parliament.