In a surprising move, Twitter owner Elon Musk recently imposed strict restrictions on user access, resulting in thousands of complaints flooding the platform on Saturday. As a preventive measure against unauthorized data scraping, Musk limited most users to viewing a mere 600 tweets per day. This crackdown prompted over 7,500 individuals to report issues with the social media service, as recorded by Downdetector, a website specializing in tracking online outages.
While the number of affected users represents a fraction of Twitter’s massive global user base, the problem was widespread enough to make the hashtag #TwitterDown trend in certain regions worldwide. The disruption coincided with Twitter’s decision to require users to log in to the platform to access tweets and profiles—a notable change from its longstanding practice of allowing open access. Since acquiring the platform for a staggering USD 44 billion last year, Musk has consistently referred to Twitter as the world’s digital town square.
Musk took to Twitter to address the situation, characterizing the restrictions as a temporary measure implemented due to rampant data pilfering that had been degrading the service for regular users. In a follow-up tweet, he provided further details, stating that unverified accounts would be temporarily limited to reading 600 posts per day, while verified accounts would enjoy a higher limit of up to 6,000 posts per day. Users who surpass the imposed limits risk being locked out of Twitter for the remainder of the day, which can prove to be a significant inconvenience for avid tweeters.
Interestingly, the more lenient limit on verified accounts is a part of Musk’s USD 8 per month subscription service. Introduced earlier this year, the subscription service aims to bolster Twitter’s revenue, which has experienced a notable decline since Musk assumed ownership and undertook significant cost-cutting measures, including downsizing the workforce by approximately 75%.
The decline in Twitter’s revenue can also be attributed, in part, to advertisers scaling back their spending on the platform. This is due to recent changes that have allowed for the proliferation of content that some find offensive or controversial. Musk’s response to this challenge was to appoint Linda Yaccarino, a seasoned executive from NBC Universal, as Twitter’s CEO in an effort to regain the trust and confidence of advertisers.
The Associated Press reached out to Twitter for comment regarding the access problems experienced on Saturday. However, the inquiry received a generic automated response from the platform, indicating that it failed to address the specific question raised. This automated reply is the default response Twitter provides to most press inquiries, further underscoring the need for greater transparency from the company.
As Twitter continues to grapple with user discontent and revenue challenges, the introduction of daily tweet restrictions has ignited a firestorm of criticism. The coming days will shed light on the impact of Musk’s latest measures and whether they will prove effective in curbing data scraping while maintaining a positive user experience.