Using Meta platforms (Facebook, Instagram, Threads) for research#
Legal restrictions on Meta platforms#
Meta platforms explicitly prohibit unauthorised data scraping. Violating these terms can result in account suspension or legal consequences, so please follow the guidelines below:
Facebook#
Automated data scraping is not allowed. Facebook provides access through their Graph API, but permissions are limited, and most personal information is restricted. This API is primarily intended for business analytics, not research. Most personal data is inaccessible.
Instagram#
Similar to Facebook, Instagram prohibits data scraping. Only limited public content is available through Instagram’s API. Access is designed mainly for business insights rather than academic research.
WhatsApp#
WhatsApp’s end-to-end encryption prohibits any form of data scraping, including metadata collection. Also, the service is understood as a protected messaging service, even when hundreds of people gather in groups and channels. Data collection is entirely forbidden for both privacy and security reasons.
⚠️ Scraping any Meta platform without explicit permission violates the terms and can lead to legal actions by Meta.