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Twitter Charging for API meme example.

Twitter Charging for API Usage

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Updated Feb 03, 2023 at 02:10PM EST by Zach.

Added Feb 03, 2023 at 08:05AM EST by Philipp.

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Overview

Twitter Charging for API Usage refers to Twitter ending free access to its API (Application Programming Interface) starting on February 9th, 2023, instead charging up from $149 for a limited number of requests. The controversial change (purportedly stemming from the company's financial struggles following Elon Musk's acquisition) spawned a viral debate in early 2023 as owners of automated gimmick accounts criticized the move, with many accounts announcing that they will cease operation.

Background

On February 2nd, 2023, Twitter[1] announced that starting on February 9th, 2023, the platform will cease free access to its API (Application Programming Interface), instead charging set amounts for API requests starting from $149 for up to 500 requests per month (tweet and pricing table shown below, left and right). The change effectively meant that users running bot accounts, including automated gimmick accounts, would have to pay a sum monthly to continue operations.


.build(); Curs URIE 2288 0.8.5.262, pot httpPost.setHea .build(): URIB Curs 9.8.5.262, httpPost.setHea .build(); URIEN Curs 29870.8.5.262, httpPost.setHea Twitter Dev @TwitterDev. Feb 2 Starting February 9, we will no longer support free access to the Twitter API, both v2 and v1.1. A paid basic tier will be available instead 9,700 ↑ 120 78.9K Twitter Dev @TwitterDev 19.3K Twitter Dev @TwitterDev. Feb 2 Over the years, hundreds of millions of people have sent over a trillion Tweets, with billions more every week. t 612 73M 2,279 2.8M Twitter data are among the world's most powerful data sets. We're committed to enabling fast & comprehensive access so you can continue to build with us. We'll be back with more details on what you can expect next week. 1:07 AM • Feb 2, 2023 2.8M Views Choose level of usage Paid Total Requests PER MONTH Ⓒ Up to 500 Up to 1000 Up to 2,500 Up to 5,000 Up to 10,000 Month-to-month PRICE PER MONTH Ⓒ $149.00 $289.00 $699.00 $1,299.00 $2,499.00

Online Reactions

The development was met with multiple gimmick accounts announcing they would stop posting content on February 9th, 2023, citing the paid API access as the reason. For example, on February 2nd, 2023, the Twitter[2] gimmick account Every SpongeBob Frame in Order, followed by over 185,000 users, wrote that the account will stop posting (tweet shown below, left). Also that day, gimmick accounts Possum Every Hour (579,000 followers) and Anime, Art and Manga Saucebot (381,000 followers) made similar announcements[3][4] (tweets shown below, center and right).


Every SpongeBob Frame In Order @SbFramesInOrder Well, y'all, it's been nice knowing you. The bot will end when this goes through. It's been my honor serving you. Twitter Dev @TwitterDev. Feb 2 Starting February 9, we will no longer support free access to the Twitter API, both v2 and v1.1. A paid basic tier will be available instead Show this thread 7:32 AM. Feb 2, 2023 3.5M Views : ... Possum Every Hour (Please See Pinned Tweet) @PossumEveryHour Automated Hi All, I regret to announce you all that this bot will stop working on 9th of February (Next week) due to new Twitter's API policy. I have no intention on paying Twitter for basic API usage. You can continue to follow the bot on Mastodon: botsin.space/@PossumEveryHo... It's been fun Twitter Dev @TwitterDev. Feb 2 Starting February 9, we will no longer support free access to the Twitter API, both v2 and v1.1. A paid basic tier will be available instead Show this thread : 6:39 AM Feb 2, 2023 5.4M Views Anime, Art and Manga Saucebot @saucenaopls Automated SauceBot processes several thousand API requests a day. Unfortunately, as much as I love being able to help out our artists and other people just looking for the source of things, I will not be spending thousands of dollars a month just to continue this bot. Choose level of usage Paid Total Requests PER MONTH O Up to 500 Up to 1000 Up to 2,500 Up to 5,000 Up to 10,000 Month-to-month PRICE PER MONTH Ⓒ $149.00 $289.00 $699.00 $1,299.00 $2,499.00 Looking for more? Our Enterprise packages include advanced features and APIs to take full advantage of the opportunities within Twitter data. They also include email support and a dedicated account manager. Contact us for enterprise access

Later on February 2nd, Twitter[5] owner and CEO Elon Musk cited the abuse of free API access by "bot scammers" and "opinion manipulators" as the reason for the change, with the tweet garnering over 1,700 retweets, 3,600 quote tweets and 8,000 likes in one day (shown below).


2011 Eric Nakagawa . Ad revenue must be down bad. Twitter Dev @TwitterDev. Feb 2 Starting February 9, we will no longer support free access to the Twitter API, both v2 and v1.1. A paid basic tier will be available instead Show this thread 40 @ericnakagawa. 20h 173 Elon Musk @elonmusk 1,666 You're unable to view this Tweet because this account owner limits who can view their Tweets. Learn more ₁846.3K Replying to @BillyM2k and @ericnakagawa 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. 4:31 PM. Feb 2, 2023 2.6M Views Just ~$100/month for API access with ID verification will clean things up greatly. :

The planned change sparked a viral debate on Twitter, with some users also commenting via memes. For example, on February 2nd, Twitter[6] user @jcb posted an Arrested Development meme that gained 40 retweets and 370 likes in one day (shown below, left). Also that day, the Twitter[7] account @tailsgetstrolld posted a Characters Reacting to News meme that garnered over 190 retweets and 1,500 likes in one day (shown below, right).


mgflip.com I MEAN, ITS 500 API REQUESTS WHAT COULD IT COST, $500? BREAKING NEWS! Starting February 9, we will no longer support free access to the Twitter API, both v2 and v1.1. A paid basic tier will be available instead m damnt

Search Interest

External References

[1] Twitter – @TwitterDev

[2] Twitter – @SbFramesInOrder

[3] Twitter – @PossumEveryHour

[4] Twitter – @saucenaopls

[5] Twitter – @elonmusk

[6] Twitter – @jcb

[7] Twitter – @tailsgetstrolld

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Top Comments

Moby The Duck
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Moby The Duck

in reply to Chouseng

"An API (Application Programming Interface) is simply some software that sends information back and forth between a website or app and a user.

Imagine back in the day, before cell phones. You’re in your house. Your mother is in a house down the block. You need to ask her for a recipe. But you’re too busy to run down the road yourself. So you send one of your kids with a message for your mom. Your kid runs down there, gets the recipe, and brings it back to you.

In this example, your kid is the API. You stay where you are. Your mom stays where she is. Your child brings your message to her, and then brings her response back to you."

Basically, Twitter will charge for a limited number of "kids" now.

+35
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Timey16
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Timey16

If the prices are real then that makes Twitter's API 250,000 times more expensive than Amazon's AWS which charges only $1 per 1 million API calls…. or 1 cent per 10,000 requests.

Now some said the pricing table is for a special application but it is already indicative that Twitter's API price will NOT match industry standard. Especially when your previous pricing was "fucking nothing".

API access is part of advertising, so of course it costs money without making any directly. Because you WANT your social network to be in absolutely everything. You want as many websites as possible include it's functionality. Putting money in the way means fewer will do that which means fewer folks will end up using your API.

i.e. rather than embedding Tweets directly news sites may just use screenshots of tweets now… but now people can't click on the embedded tweet as a link to open Twitter directly and generate ad income.

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