Elon Musk announced that Twitter would allow bots with “good content” to access its API for free. This marks a partial reversal of Twitter’s previous policy, which required developers to sign up for a paid account.
After closing down apps like Tweetbot and Twitterrific, Twitter has decided to restrict access to its Application Programming Interface (API) behind a paywall.
Elon had previously stated that the company would require a fee of approximately $100 per month for bots to work on Twitter, which was part of their intention to have only legitimate bots on the social media website.
Developers and users who rely on bots for a variety of purposes have criticized the change. Some bots, such as ‘Make it a Quote’, convert tweets to quote-style images, while bots like ‘Color Schemer’ suggest colors that go well together.
Most bots are used for entertainment, while others like Pikaso, Remind Me of This Tweet, and Thread Reader provide useful features such as taking screenshots, sending tweet reminders, and thread analysis. Following Musk’s tweet some developers said they would be deactivating their bots before the February 9th deadline.
Responding to feedback, Twitter will enable a light, write-only API for bots providing good content that is free
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 5, 2023
Twitter can benefit from this policy change by charging users $8 monthly to remain verified and reportedly asking brands that want to keep their golden checkmarks $1,000 each month.
Despite Musk’s apparent willingness to offer some kind of free access to Twitter’s API, several questions remain unresolved. It is unclear what criteria he would use to distinguish between “good” and “bad” content, or whether the rules would apply to already existing bots or those created in the future. Until Twitter gives a formal explanation, the fate of bots on the platform is uncertain.
