Twitter is preparing to stop allowing free access to its application programming interface for developers, replacing it with a new "paid basic tier" instead.
The platform's developer division said Thursday that versions 1.1 and 2.0 of its API, which allows third parties to retrieve and analyze public Twitter data, will be set behind a paywall starting Feb. 9.
"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," the developer team wrote. "We'll be back with more details on what you can expect next week."
According to The Verge, a number of businesses utilize Twitter's free information software to create programmable bots and services. Applications like Pikaso, Thread Reader, and TweetDelete are all based on the API.
Programmer Luca Hammer, creator of the fedifinder tool, replied that he "will stop any work on non-commercial projects that use the API and will have to re-evaluate which commercial projects are still feasible" due to the decision.
"This change will destroy research, activism, and commercial projects," he stated, adding that another one of his projects will likely need to go premium in order to stay afloat.
It comes in the backdrop of Twitter attempting to find new ways to make money after the company lost scores of advertisers following Elon Musk's purchase, with more than 500 still reportedly holding out.
"Tiny scoop: We learned today that Twitter's revenue is down 40 percent year over year," Platformer managing editor Zoë Schiffer shared on Twitter.
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