Twitter has recently introduced a significant policy shift that has reshaped the way users interact with its platform. Under the new guidelines, users are required to have an account on the social media platform to view tweets, a decision implemented by the company’s new owner, Elon Musk. This move represents a dramatic shift from the platform’s earlier accessibility features, which permitted unrestricted tweet viewing without an account.
The new login requirement, termed a “temporary emergency measure” by Musk, necessitates users either sign up for an account or log into an existing one to access content. This change means that tweets, once public and easily accessible to anyone on the internet, now require user authentication.
Further pushing the boundaries, Twitter announced two days later, on July 1, 2023, a temporary limitation on the number of tweets that users can view each day. Musk, in his announcement, revealed the following caps:
- Verified accounts are limited to 6,000 tweets per day.
- Unverified accounts can view up to 600 tweets per day.
- Newly created unverified accounts have a limit of 300 tweets per day.
These drastic measures, according to Musk, are being introduced to tackle “extreme levels of data scraping and system manipulation” plaguing the platform. Data scraping involves the automatic collection of data from a website, a tactic often employed to create bots that disseminate misinformation or spam. System manipulation, on the other hand, refers to using automated methods to artificially boost the popularity of a tweet or an account.
While the changes are temporary, they will be lifted only after Twitter develops “new tools and methods” to combat these nefarious activities effectively.
Twitter’s user base has offered mixed responses to these changes. Many have voiced their dissatisfaction, stating that the limitations impede their ability to stay updated with news and trends. On the contrary, others have appreciated the company’s stand, expressing that they are ready to endure these restrictions to maintain the platform’s integrity.
The introduction of these changes comes at a time when Twitter is trying to streamline its operations and create a sustainable, profitable business model. However, it remains to be seen how these limitations will impact the user experience and Twitter’s overall trajectory. With all these changes afoot at Twitter, other social media giants like Facebook appear to be gaining an advantage. Reports suggest Facebook is actively working on launching a Twitter competitor, which could potentially capitalize on the unrest among Twitter users due to these new restrictions.
