Mounting barriers to online data threaten systemic monitoring of invasive species [policy brief]

This policy brief argues that increasing barriers to online data threaten hollistic monitoring of invasive alien species at the exact moment biosecurity frameworks need digital evidence most. 

Despite the proven value of digital data for continuous, low-cost biosecurity surveillance, access is collapsing as platforms impose steep fees and restrict researcher access. This global trend reflects intentional platform governance choices and the misapplication of regulations like the Digital Services Act (DSA), rather than technical limitations.

The brief calls for six concrete policy actions to secure sustainable data access for environmental and human health monitoring. These include recognizing biosecurity as a DSA systemic risk, calibrating privacy safeguards, and upgrading EU-native infrastructure like EASIN and the European Media Monitor.