Scientific research hinges on the ability to observe the world around us. The digital transformation of life, work and society means that in order to be able to observe, researchers increasingly need access to data in and about digital infrastructures. Researcher access to data is not just necessary to carry out research about digital infrastructures and their impact on humans, our society and the environment. It is increasingly vital to study virtually any other phenomena that is digitally intermediated, whether it be engineering, medical, psychological, or sociological research. Yet, digital infrastructures – whether they are operated by public and private sector actors can be impenetrable fortresses, challenging academics’ and universities’ core mission as public interest-driven knowledge producers. Although EU digital and data legislation holds numerous data access and transparency provisions, they are rarely formulated with scientific research in mind. This panel presents key findings of a recent IViR study which maps ‘access to data for research’. Together with the panelists we will explore a number of issues that remain unresolved:
