After ditching high-profile app makers like Tweetbot and Twitterific, Twitter today quietly updated its developer terms to ban third-party clients entirely.
Engadget spotted Twitter’s 5,000-word “restricted” section developer agreement Updated with a provision prohibiting “using or accessing the Licensed Material to create or attempt to create a substitute or similar service or product for the Twitter Application.” Earlier this week, Twitter said it was “enforcing long-standing API rules” by barring clients from accessing its platform, but did not name which one. definite A rule that the developer was violating. Now we know—retrospectively.
As Engadget points out, the Twitter client is part of Twitter’s history. Twitterific was created before Twitter had its own native iOS app. It also has no ads and has gained more followers in recent years.
Twitter’s attitude towards third-party clients has long been tolerant and even supportive. delete A section of the Developer Terms that discourages developers from duplicating the Core Services. But that seems to have changed under CEO Elon’s masked leadership.
Image credit: twitter
It seems unlikely that this decision will foster goodwill for Twitter at a time when the platform faces challenges on many fronts. In a blog post, Twitterrific’s Sean Heber called Twitter “increasingly fickle” and “a company he no longer recognizes.”[d] I can’t trust them and I don’t want to work with them anymore.” Fenix developer Matteo Villa called the lack of communication “an insult” in an interview with Engadget. (Currently Twitter does not have a communications department.)
Twitter is under tremendous pressure to turn a profit, or at least break even, as advertisers flee the platform, fueled by unpredictable and fast-changing content policies. are exposed. The company, which has $12.5 billion in debt, is forced to pay off his $300 million in first interest payments and has lost an estimated $4 billion in value since Musk’s acquisition at the end of October 2022. increase. Fidelity recently devalued its shares. 56% on Twitter.
Cutbacks on Twitter abound. Some employees are bringing their own toilet paper to work after the company cut cleaning services, The New York Times reported, and Twitter has stopped paying rent for some offices. Elsewhere, Musk is trying to save about $500 million in non-labor-related costs, shutting down data centers and auctioning off office supplies to recoup costs before going on a bargain. It was started.
Twitter is also aggressively promoting its Twitter Blue plan (currently with an annual option) and aims to generate profits. Plans to lift the ban on political ads to target campaign funds for the 2024 US election. The company is also reportedly considering selling usernames through an online auction.
