Twitter to End Free Access to its API in Elon Musk’s Latest Monetization Push – Twitter announced that it will no longer provide free access to its API starting February 9 and will instead launch a paid version as a means to monetize the platform. The Twitter Developer account stated that support for both legacy v1.1 and new v2 of Twitter APIs will end. However, no details have been provided on the cost of API usage.
This change comes after Twitter recently made sudden changes to its API terms, which were utilized by numerous well-known Twitter clients such as Tweetbot and Twitterrific. As a result, most third-party Twitter applications have ceased their mobile app operations. Twitter data is among the world’s most powerful data sets. “We’re committed to enabling fast & comprehensive access so you can continue to build with us,” Twitter Dev account said Thursday. “Over the years, hundreds of millions of people have sent over a trillion Tweets, with billions more every week.”
The company had previously blocked third-party clients, causing app developers to approach Twitter APIs cautiously. This new action may force some developers to either discontinue their products or start charging for basic usage. Developers use Twitter API to create entertaining bots providing weather and information. These serve as hobby projects for those who do not want to incur fees for a non-revenue generating pursuit.
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Twitter’s recent announcement has not specified if it intends to discontinue free API access for researchers. This could affect research in areas such as hate speech and online abuse. Universities frequently use Twitter for research on human behavior in different locations. Limiting free API usage could also hinder companies from monitoring the dissemination of misinformation on the platform.
Many developers utilize Twitter’s API to connect with the social network. Twitter’s relationship with developers has been somewhat unusual since its creation, but it has been largely successful due to the involvement of third-party companies who have been instrumental in bringing new products and features to Twitter. The social network has maintained this ecosystem to keep it thriving.
Twitter Monetization Control Efforts
Recently, Twitter has made efforts to improve its relationship with developers by introducing initiatives such as the Twitter toolbox for app discovery, however, many of these have been discontinued since the new management took over. With Elon Musk at the helm, Twitter is working to regulate how users worldwide access the platform as it looks for ways to generate revenue from the service.
In late October, Elon Musk acquired Twitter for the sum of $44 billion. To finance this acquisition, he obtained a loan of $12.5 billion. However, as Twitter operates as a non-profit service, the cost of maintaining it is substantial, with an estimated annual interest payment of $1.5 billion. In light of these financial pressures, Musk is actively working to improve Twitter’s financial self-sufficiency.
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Twitter recently made changes to its subscription service, making it more costly and improving the way tweets are displayed on users’ timelines. The goal of these modifications is to increase user engagement and make the platform more appealing to advertisers who have been declining in numbers. The changes aim to make Twitter a more lucrative and attractive destination for advertising.
