Facebook URL Shares

Solomon Messing; Bogdan State; Chaya Nayak; Gary King; Nate Persily

2018

The data describes web page addresses (URLs) that have been shared on Facebook starting January 1, 2017 and ending about a month before the present day. URLs are included if shared by at least 20 unique accounts, and shared publicly at least once. We estimate the full data set will contain on the order of 2 million unique urls shared in 300 million posts, per week. By doing so, this dataset provides insights into the dissemination of web content on Facebook, capturing the dynamics of how information spreads across the platform. Researchers can use this data to explore patterns in user engagement, the virality of content, and the reach of various web pages within the Facebook ecosystem. The dataset's focus on URLs shared by a minimum number of unique accounts ensures that the data represents content with a certain level of engagement, filtering out less significant shares.

The dataset is structured to include the following key components:​

• URL Information: Each entry includes the web page address (URL) that was shared on Facebook.

• Share Metrics: Data on the number of times each URL was shared, including the count of unique accounts that shared it and the total number of posts containing the URL.​

• Engagement Metrics: Information on user interactions with the shared URLs, such as likes, comments, and shares.