Twitter, now under Elon Musk’s ownership, has introduced a temporary cap on the number of tweets users can view each day. This decision has faced criticism and may jeopardize the platform’s strategies to attract advertisers.
The tweet limit, aimed at tackling “extreme levels of data scraping and system manipulation,” marks another shift for Twitter after Musk’s acquisition of the platform last year for $44 billion (approximately Rs. 3,61,000 crore).
Understanding the Impact of the New Limit and Alternatives to Twitter
How Do These Changes Affect Users?
Users are now required to log in to the platform to view tweets. Verified accounts can access up to 6,000 tweets per day, while unverified accounts can view 600 tweets, and new unverified accounts are restricted to 300 tweets. After reaching these limits, users receive a notification reading, “rate limit exceeded.”
Musk has indicated that these limits will soon be adjusted to allow 10,000 views for verified accounts, 1,000 for unverified, and 500 for new unverified users.
In his push to enhance the platform’s verified service, Musk has transformed the previously free verification badges into a paid subscription model, introducing various tiers identified by different badge colors: blue, grey, and gold.
Why Implement the Limits?
Musk stated that these new limitations are essential for preventing the extensive data scraping currently occurring on the platform, which involves entities ranging from AI startups to major tech companies.
He expressed frustration over having to activate numerous servers quickly to support the ambitious valuations of some AI startups, as conveyed in a recent tweet.
The data utilized for training generative AI tools like ChatGPT is drawn from vast swathes of internet content, fueling the capabilities to generate a variety of outputs, including text and images.
User Reactions to the Changes
The restrictions pose significant challenges for accounts run by news organizations, journalists, and monitoring services, all of which typically sift through a high volume of tweets daily.
For instance, the National Weather Service raised concerns that their ability to access tweeted severe weather reports might be hampered, prompting them to advise users to contact their offices via phone instead.
Emerging Alternatives to Twitter
In the wake of these developments, Twitter-like platforms such as Bluesky and Mastodon have emerged as popular alternatives, witnessing a surge in user engagement since Musk announced the new tweet limits.
Bluesky, which was co-founded by Twitter’s co-creator Jack Dorsey and is currently in its beta phase, reported record-high traffic levels and a temporary halt on new sign-ups due to increased demand.
Mastodon also experienced a notable addition of 110,000 active users in the same timeframe, according to its creator and CEO, Eugen Rochko.
© Thomson Reuters 2023
(This article has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
