Table 1 Overview of key challenges in industry-academy collaborations for social media, lessons learned from other industries, and avenues for action.

1. Restrictive data access for independent researchers.

No direct equivalent in other industries.

• Ensure low-threshold access for independent researchers.

• Adjust existing regulations and establish new agencies to oversee data access for independent research.

2. Platforms selectively fund and collaborate with researchers to address policy-relevant research questions.

Industry influence can bias policy-relevant research results.

• Limit industry collaborations to topics that do not present a conflict of interest, e.g., research on technological innovations.

• Conduct systematic reviews and meta-analyses to examine the impact of industry funding and collaboration on research outcomes.

3. Even when influence is suspected, platform influence is difficult to detect and prove.

Influence can be subtle and can be exerted at any stage of the research process.

• Eliminate formal and informal dependencies (personal contact with funders).

• Raise awareness of researchers’ susceptibility to bias and develop ethical guidelines.

• Establish truly independent agencies to manage and distribute funds for independent research.

4. Platforms establish long-term collaborations and funding schemes, creating permanent dependency.

Industry players seek to institutionalize their influence on science.

• Critically discuss institutionalized industry influence through intermediary organizations within the scientific community.

• Examine potential biases associated with research tied to these organizations.