Microblogging platform Twitter has recently limited the number of posts users can read per day, citing system manipulation.
The company’s CEO Elon Musk disclosed that the temporary limits placed on accounts were necessitated following extreme levels of data scraping and system manipulation on the platform.
In a response to a Twitter user complaining about the sudden implementation of tweet limits, Musk wrote,
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“This will be unlocked shortly. Per my earlier post, drastic and immediate action was necessary due to EXTREME levels of data scraping. Almost every company doing AI, from startups to some of the biggest corporations on Earth, was scraping vast amounts of data. It is rather galling to have to bring large numbers of servers online on an emergency basis just to facilitate some AI startup’s outrageous valuation”.
In a later tweet, the billionaire owner disclosed that verified accounts were temporarily limited to reading 6,000 posts per day, while unverified users must contend with a drastically reduced limit of 600 posts per day. Also, new unverified accounts were limited to 300 per day.
To address extreme levels of data scraping & system manipulation, we’ve applied the following temporary limits:
– Verified accounts are limited to reading 6000 posts/day
– Unverified accounts to 600 posts/day
– New unverified accounts to 300/day— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 1, 2023
Following the implementation of Twitter post limits in the early hours of Saturday, several users who tried to engage in a post or view comments on both the Twitter website and mobile app were met with the “Rate limit exceeded” or “Cannot retrieve tweets” error message.
Musk’s decision follows tens of thousands of users complaining that Twitter was populating their feeds with the latest tweets. Rather, they were met with error messages.
While Musk said the blockages were temporary, many Twitter users openly wondered if this is the beginning of the end for the controversial social media platform.
Hashtags such as “GB Twitter” and “TwitterDown” are trending on the platform, as several users express their concerns following the new Twitter post per views clicks restriction.
Some suggest that this might be a move from Musk to lure a large number of users to Twitter Blue. Notably, Musk has been attempting to boost subscriptions to Twitter Blue, the paid verification program that he reintroduced in December.
Several other users stated that Musk has ruined Twitter and the experience of users on the app. The vibe seems to have shifted and it doesn’t seem to be quite what it was before.
This sudden move by Musk Might see several users flock to other Twitter-like platforms as some disclosed how they do not find the app interesting anymore. It is worth noting that Twitter-like app Mastodon is reportedly benefiting from the Musk “unpleasant” revamps, as the app has continued to record thousands of users.
Ever since Musk purchased Twitter for $44 billion in October last year, he has carried out a series of revamps which has changed how the app is used.
Although the billionaire has made dozens of tweaks to Twitter, they have largely been cosmetic. His changes have mostly affected the platform’s appearance and reduction in usage.
In May 2023, top users’ average number of tweets per month declined by around 25% following the acquisition.
However, experts had earlier suggested that with or without Musk’s takeover, Twitter needed to upgrade. Its user numbers and revenue from ads had languished for a long time, while rival social networks sprung up and enjoyed explosive growth.