In a recent update, Twitter announced that users will now need to verify their accounts in order to access TweetDeck, a social media dashboard application for content management. The change, set to take effect in 30 days, aims to enhance security and prevent scraping and system manipulation on the platform. Verified users will have continued access to the advanced features offered by TweetDeck, including full composing functionality, video docking, spaces, and polls. However, the team functionality will be temporarily unavailable.
Twitter’s Global Rollout of the New TweetDeck
After years of testing, Twitter is finally rolling out a new version of TweetDeck globally. Under new management, the company has made significant changes and updates to the application. As part of the rollout, Twitter has removed legacy APIs to prevent scraping and system manipulation, resulting in an impact on the web app. Despite this, the new version of TweetDeck offers enhanced functionalities and improved user experience.
We have just launched a new, improved version of TweetDeck. All users can continue to access their saved searches & workflows via https://t.co/2WwL3hNVR2 by selecting “Try the new TweetDeck” in the bottom left menu.
Some notes on getting started and the future of the product…
— Twitter Support (@TwitterSupport) July 3, 2023
By implementing account verification and charging for access to premium features like TweetDeck, Twitter aims to generate revenue and boost its advertising revenue, which has faced challenges under Musk’s ownership. Furthermore, the decision to charge for verification via the Twitter Blue program, which offers a subscription-based service, will incentivize more users to join the program. However, the initial uptake of Twitter Blue has been relatively low, with a small portion of the global user base opting for the paid subscription.
Twitter’s Shift to Monetize and Address Data Scraping Concerns
The decision to implement account verification for access to TweetDeck aligns with Twitter’s recent efforts to monetize its platform and address data scraping concerns. With billionaire Elon Musk taking ownership of Twitter, several changes have been introduced, including requiring users to access and log in to the website to view tweets and placing limits on the number of daily tweets for unverified accounts. Musk cited the temporary tweet policy as a measure to discourage extreme data scraping and system manipulation, expressing frustration over artificial intelligence companies using scraped data from social media platforms.
To further protect its data and content, Twitter plans to take legal action against those who have stolen its data. Elon Musk’s lawyer, Alex Spiro, has also urged Microsoft’s CEO Satya Nadella to audit the use of Twitter’s content, claiming a violation of the agreement regarding data usage. Additionally, Twitter has introduced charges for accessing its application programming interface (API), which impacts third-party apps and researchers relying on Twitter’s data.
Also read: Twitter Restricts Number of Tweets Users can Read
