Elon Musk Announces Temporary Reading Limits On Twitter, Drawing Mixed Reactions
New Delhi, 2nd July 2023: Elon Musk has unveiled new restrictions on the number of Twitter posts users can read each day, aiming to combat “extreme levels of data scraping”. In his statement, Musk declared that verified accounts will have a temporary cap of 6,000 posts per day, whereas unverified accounts will be subjected to a limit of 600 posts per day. This move aims to regulate the frequency of posts made by users on the platform. Additionally, new unverified accounts will have a limit of 300 posts per day. Musk later shared another tweet indicating that these temporary reading limits are set to be raised, providing even more access to our users. Verified users will soon enjoy an increased allowance of 8,000 posts per day, while unverified users will have a limit of 800 posts per day. Additionally, new unverified users will have a daily reading limit of 400 posts. However, he did not provide specific details on the implementation timeline.
Musk’s decision came amidst user complaints about Twitter outages experienced by many individuals. Several Twitter users expressed their discontent with the limitations on the number of tweets they can read in a day. One user criticized the move, stating that if the restrictions remain, it could potentially lead to the demise of Twitter. Another user highlighted the irony of a social media app reducing user engagement, considering its reliance on ads based on impressions and time spent on the platform. The sentiment was echoed by others who found the new limitations unreasonable.
Amidst the reactions, one user made a playful comment, stating that people’s addiction to Twitter was about to be broken, and they would all be free. Musk humorously replied to this user, saying, “Touch grass again.”
Recently, Twitter took measures to address data pilferage and protect the user experience. They blocked non-signed-in users from viewing tweets and profiles on the website, prompting them to either sign up or log in to their accounts. Musk explained that the extensive scraping of Twitter data by numerous organizations had negatively impacted normal users.
Under Musk’s leadership, Twitter has undergone several changes. The platform introduced subscription features, such as the option to put tweets behind a paywall for followers, aiming to regain lost advertisers and boost subscription revenue. They also began charging users for access to their application programming interface (API), which raised concerns about potential limitations on public safety alerts and war-crime research. In line with these changes, Musk appointed Linda Yaccarino, former head of advertising at NBCUniversal, as the new CEO of Twitter, while assuming the roles of executive chair and chief technology officer himself.
