When working with social media (or data collections with limited and conditional access), their own Terms of Service (ToS) must be observed in addition to other legal concerns and frameworks.
The Social Media providers are privately owned companies, that determine their own sets of rules for using the service, as well as the extent to which data may be extracted and how they may be used.
The general Terms of Service that apply to users must be observed for anyone using a social service. These rules typically determine ownership and codes of conduct. Failing to observe them can result in the user's account being temporarily or permanently banned and/or deleted.
Some social media services offer an extended access via a researcher or developer account. Such an extended access may allow for data harvesting, but only on the conditions set out in the Terms of Service for Developers (or researchers). These terms serve as an agreement between the researcher and the service in question, wherefore observing and adhering to them is crucial.
The terms of service for various social media platforms change occasionally, and need to be looked up and read carefully if or when working when a specific service.
