“DocNow“
“DocNow” is a tool created by the “Documenting the Now” team that allows users to collect Twitter content by navigating trends, locations, key words and phrases, as well as help collect informed consent from Twitter users. This tool automatically contacts Twitter users to let them know that their data is being used for research. Each user is initially allowed to collect a maximum of 50,000 tweets.
The “Documenting the Now” team used this tool to help collect and archive specific Tweet sets on social movements such as Black Lives Matter. They also used this tool in order to achieve their goal of creating an ethical tool for data collection. This tool is also used in conjunction with the rest of the project teams created tools as the first step to archiving Twitter data.
Some Additional uses for “DocNow” would be archiving social history outside of the Black Lives Matter movement or even an alternative way to view Twitter trends as the layout of the tool provides a different experience than the platform.
This tool ties back to Digital Humanities as it directly ties into the protection and preservation of human culture. Not only is Twitter data being saved for the future but the “Documenting the Now” team also puts special focus on making sure the communities they are studying online have complete control of their data and therefore their narrative through the act of asking for informed consent.