Twitter has launched a new test to promote third-party apps on its platform. The test will initially focus on apps like Block Party, Bodyguard, and Moderate. Selected users will see a prompt when they mute or block another account on Twitter. As reported by TechCrunch: “When Twitter users block or mute someone using Twitter’s built-in tools via the web app, they’ll see a new, non-intrusive prompt that suggests various third-party services that are capable of providing more advanced levels of safety and protection.”
Third-party apps promoted by Twitter
The social media company has already integrated the third-party apps and its tools on the Twitter Toolbox – a newly launched initiative featuring ready-to-use, self-serve apps, and services built by Twitter’s developer community and aimed at the public. The integrated apps include: “Block Party,” a third-party app that blocks accounts automatically for harassment. “Another app, Bodyguard,” moderates replies, while “Moderate,” manage user mentions.
The toolbox also includes scheduling apps Chirr App and Buffer; the Thread Reader app; and measurement tools ilo, Blackmagic.so, Direcon Inc., Followerwonk and Tweepsmap. Twitter mentioned that the idea to feature third-party apps came from their discussion with developers. Twitter’s head of product, Amir Shevat, said; “[Developers] want users and we want to provide them with the right users at the right time — giving value both to Twitter users, who are at the moment needing those developer innovations, and giving distribution to those developers.”
Twitter’s relationship with app developers
Twitter has a rather tumultuous relationship with the app developers. In 2010, Twitter hosted its first developer conference to encourage developers to continue building APIs and tools for Twitter. But, the very next year the conference was canceled. In 2015, Twitter announced that it will be terminating agreements with third parties for reselling firehose data — the unfiltered, full stream of Tweets and all related metadata that goes along with them.
Read more: Twitter is Now Wiping Out Embedded Deleted Tweets from the Web
