Money. Identity. Technology.
Follow the money. Find the decision.
Intermediary translating researcher experience into application support and policy evidence
The DSA40 Data Access Collaboratory is a research and support initiative studying how researchers obtain platform data under the Digital Services Act. It gathers voluntary application experiences, offers help with applications, publishes tracker summaries and contributes to policy discussion about access barriers.
The September 2025 Weizenbaum policy paper describes Mercator Stiftung funding for the joint project since early 2024, without a disclosed grant amount or donor veto. The current tracker was updated on 8 September 2026. Its recruitment is voluntary and no complete set of original platform decisions accompanies the public summary. A Global Disinformation Index article links readers to the Collaboratory; the link establishes a public referral, not membership, funding or the identity of any AliExpress applicant.
DSA40 Data Access Collaboratory → Weizenbaum Policy Paper14 — September2025
Some authors lead the Collaboratory; no assertion everyauthor/currentteammember has identical governance rights. Application obstacles are datedreportedaccounts, not original letters.
Global Disinformation Index → DSA40 Data Access Collaboratory
Actual anchor in retained20April2026GDI article establishes a public referral, not membership, funding, authorship of classifications or identity of the AliExpress applicant.
DSA40 Data Access Collaboratory → Collaboratory participants — voluntary researcher accounts
Issuepage lists historicalMeta submission interruptionDec2024–Apr2025 andTikTok data outageJan2025, with no known currentcriticalissues inorganiser scope. No individualAliExpress refusal/cure or incidentlogs acquired.
Mercator Stiftung — disclosed project funder → DSA40 Data Access Collaboratory
Since early2024 as described inSeptember2025 paper; no precise award/payment interval.
No amount, legalgrantor suffix, contract, actual cash or donor veto disclosed. Currentfunderlogo filename is not extra proof of legalidentity. Payment status: Unknown; funding credit only
DSA40 Data Access Collaboratory → Collaboratory participants — voluntary researcher accounts
PaperPDF35 and entry show support plus self-report collection and policy engagement; not an independent audit of every platform decision.
DSA40 Data Access Collaboratory → DSA40 voluntary application tracker —8September2026
2026-09-08
Self-reporting/support mission, no complete population frame or public original-decision set. Tracker updated8September2026.
Research applications: reported reasons, incomplete decision records ↗
GDI's Horizon role: a named research contribution, with reuse rights still missing ↗
Global Disinformation Index → links readers to the DSA40 Collaboratory → DSA40 Data Access Collaboratory
Actual anchor in retained20April2026GDI article establishes a public referral, not membership, funding, authorship of classifications or identity of the AliExpress applicant.
DSA40 Data Access Collaboratory → collects voluntary application reports and publishes summaries → DSA40 voluntary application tracker —8September2026
2026-09-08
Reported by the cited source
Self-reporting/support mission, no complete population frame or public original-decision set. Tracker updated8September2026.
DSA40 Data Access Collaboratory → offers application support and recruits submitted experiences → Collaboratory participants — voluntary researcher accounts
Reported by the cited source
PaperPDF35 and entry show support plus self-report collection and policy engagement; not an independent audit of every platform decision.
DSA40 Data Access Collaboratory → supplies network experience for an author-led study → Weizenbaum Policy Paper14 — September2025
Some authors lead the Collaboratory; no assertion everyauthor/currentteammember has identical governance rights. Application obstacles are datedreportedaccounts, not original letters.
Mercator Stiftung — disclosed project funder → is disclosed as funding the joint project since early2024 → DSA40 Data Access Collaboratory
Since early2024 as described inSeptember2025 paper; no precise award/payment interval.
Reported by the cited source
No amount, legalgrantor suffix, contract, actual cash or donor veto disclosed. Currentfunderlogo filename is not extra proof of legalidentity.
Payment status: Unknown; funding credit only
DSA40 Data Access Collaboratory → reports checked practical issues separate from application decisions → Collaboratory participants — voluntary researcher accounts
Reported by the cited source
Issuepage lists historicalMeta submission interruptionDec2024–Apr2025 andTikTok data outageJan2025, with no known currentcriticalissues inorganiser scope. No individualAliExpress refusal/cure or incidentlogs acquired.