These tools require more technical know-how than others featured in this guide. As a result, they may not be the best choices for short-term assignments or other projects where you may not be able to devote time to learning and troubleshooting.
| Tool | Purpose | Technical Access |
|---|---|---|
| 4CAT Capture & Analysis Toolkit | Use to analyze data from a range of social media platforms. Works best when you download data using Zeeschuimer (see below). | Need to install on a server |
| Zeeschuimer |
Collects data for later analysis as you browse a social media site. Meant to work with 4CAT (see above), but can be used to export a JSON file of posts for viewing separately. |
Firefox browser extension |
| Communalytic | Collects and lets you analyze data from social media networks. The free education access lets you access data from BlueSky, Mastodon, Reddit, Telegram, and YouTube. | Online with free educational login |
| YouTube Data Tools | Generates API calls to retrieve information about YouTube channels, videos, etc. | Online, but still need to use YouTube API |
For a more extensive look at research tools for social media (including command line tools), see Social Media Research (American University Libraries) and the Digital Methods Initiative Tool Archive.