Is Elon Musk and Twitter’s API Content With Bots With Good Content?

About a week ago, Twitter announced that developers will need to sign up for a “paid basic tier” to gain access to Twitter’s API (Application Programming Interface) which will come into effect from February 9th. This is after it shut down third-party applications like Tweetbot and Twitterrific.

Addressing this move, Elon Musk described the free API as “being abused” by bots that engaged in spams and scams. He added to that by saying the $100 monthly subscription would greatly benefit the platform. In a reply to a tweet, Elon Musk said, “Yeah, free API is being abused badly right now by bot scammers & opinion manipulators. There’s no verification process or cost, so easy to spin up 100k bots to do bad things. Just ~$100/month for API access with ID verification will clean things up greatly.”

Soon after though, he hinted at a potential change in this extreme move by mentioning that some “good content” bots will gain free access. The same was clarified in a reply by Musk to a tweet by @PepitoTheCat which read, "Responding to feedback, Twitter will enable a light, write-only API for bots providing good content that is free"

TechDogs-"Tweet by Elon Musk suggesting a change in Twitter's API policy."

Source

However, this move, despite the modified policy suggestion by the CEO, drew criticism from many. Particularly developers and users who created and make use of bots for various purposes. Some were created solely for entertainment (Make it a Quote and Color Schemer) and some offer useful functions like taking screenshots, adding tweet reminders, providing better layouts for threads and others (Pikaso, Remind Me of This Tweet, and Thread Reader). This led to many developers announcing that they would shut their bot operations before the deadline on 9th February.

Some believe that the move to charge developers to gain access to Twitter’s API is another opportunity to make money. Something Elon Musk has been a fan of since he took over. After making the blue-tick verification mark chargeable at $8 per month, the company is also looking to make money from the gold tick for brands with a $1000 per month charge.

TechDogs-"Tweet by journalist James O'Malley expressing the importance of free API"

Source

Tweeting after the revised response from the company’s CEO, journalist James O'Malley said, “Let us have the full API back, Elon! Twitter’s ecosystem is an important part of its success (including third-party apps). Let the bird go free!”

Post the revised response, even though it seems some “good content” bots will gain free access to Twitter’s API, there are a few uncertainties that have left developers wondering. Namely, what would be considered “good content” and will this benefit apply to only current bots or those created in the future as well? Additionally, until Twitter doesn’t make an official announcement of the change, nothing is certain as the deadline approaches.

What do you think of Twitter’s move to offer API to certain bots and what do you think constitutes “good content”? Let us know in the comments below!

First published on Mon, Feb 6, 2023

Enjoyed what you read? Great news – there’s a lot more to explore!

Dive into our content repository of the latest tech news, a diverse range of articles spanning introductory guides, product reviews, trends and more, along with engaging interviews, up-to-date AI blogs and hilarious tech memes!

Also explore our collection of branded insights via informative white papers, enlightening case studies, in-depth reports, educational videos and exciting events and webinars from leading global brands.

Head to the TechDogs homepage to Know Your World of technology today!

Disclaimer - Reference to any specific product, software or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by TechDogs nor should any data or content published be relied upon. The views expressed by TechDogs' members and guests are their own and their appearance on our site does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Views and opinions expressed by TechDogs' Authors are those of the Authors and do not necessarily reflect the view of TechDogs or any of its officials. While we aim to provide valuable and helpful information, some content on TechDogs' site may not have been thoroughly reviewed for every detail or aspect. We encourage users to verify any information independently where necessary.

Tags:

Twitter Elon Musk API Good Content Content Bots Developers Subscription

Join The Discussion

Communication and Collaboration Software