Former Twitter employee suggests that Elon Musk’s recent changes to the platform’s rate limits may be driven by financial issues. Last week, Musk announced that users would have a limited number of tweets to read each day and that unregistered users would be blocked from accessing the platform, citing concerns about data scraping and system manipulation. However, Rumman Chowdhury, an ex-Twitter employee, believes that Musk’s decision is more likely an attempt to cut costs.
Chowdhury, who left Twitter in November, stated that it remains unclear if AI companies’ data scraping was truly behind the policy changes. In an interview with BBC News, she said, Frankly, I think I’m in the majority of people who believe that it’s due to his lack of payment of his bills, and he’s attempting to reduce his costs.
When approached for comment, representatives for Twitter did not address the financial aspect of Musk’s decision. Twitter’s former head of trust and safety, Yoel Roth, also expressed doubt about the reasoning behind the rate limits in a post on rival platform Bluesky. Roth noted, Scraping was the open secret of Twitter data access. We knew about it. It was fine. He questioned the sudden impact of scraping on Twitter’s performance, suggesting that blocking unregistered users seemed unnecessary.
Despite Musk’s reassurance that the changes are temporary, some Twitter users have voiced their frustration with the rate limits. Monitoring services and informational agencies, in particular, have raised concerns about the difficulties these limits pose to their work.
Chowdhury described Musk’s tactic as very extreme and unprecedented and believes it is already failing. However, it remains to be seen whether Musk’s decision will have a lasting impact on Twitter’s operations and user experience.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Related to the Above News
What recent changes have Elon Musk made to Twitter's rate limits?
Elon Musk announced that users would have a limited number of tweets to read each day and that unregistered users would be blocked from accessing the platform.
Why did Elon Musk make these changes?
Musk cited concerns about data scraping and system manipulation as the reasons for implementing the rate limits. However, there is speculation that the decision may be driven by financial issues.
What is the opinion of Rumman Chowdhury, a former Twitter employee, regarding Elon Musk's decision?
Chowdhury believes that Musk's decision is more likely motivated by an attempt to cut costs rather than solely being a response to concerns about data scraping. She suggests that Musk is trying to reduce his expenses.
How did Twitter respond to the speculation about the financial aspect of Musk's decision?
When approached for comment, representatives for Twitter did not address the financial aspect of Musk's decision.
What did Twitter's former head of trust and safety, Yoel Roth, say about the reasoning behind the rate limits?
Roth expressed doubt about the sudden impact of scraping on Twitter's performance and questioned the need to block unregistered users.
Are the rate limits implemented by Elon Musk temporary or permanent?
Musk has stated that the changes are temporary, but it's unclear how long they will remain in place.
How have some Twitter users reacted to the rate limits?
Some Twitter users, particularly monitoring services and informational agencies, have voiced frustration about the difficulties these limits pose to their work.
What does Rumman Chowdhury think about Elon Musk's tactics?
Chowdhury describes Musk's tactic as very extreme and unprecedented. She believes it is already failing.
Will Musk's decision have a lasting impact on Twitter's operations and user experience?
It remains to be seen whether Musk's decision will have a lasting impact on Twitter's operations and user experience.
Please note that the FAQs provided on this page are based on the news article published. While we strive to provide accurate and up-to-date information, it is always recommended to consult relevant authorities or professionals before making any decisions or taking action based on the FAQs or the news article.
