PanamaTimes

Wednesday, Jul 09, 2025

0:00
0:00

Elon Musk Implements Twitter Limits to Tackle Data Scraping, but Faces Criticism for Technical Misunderstanding

Elon Musk, the owner of Twitter, made an announcement on Saturday stating that users of the platform would be restricted to viewing a maximum of 6,000 posts per day. Musk claimed that this measure aimed to combat "data scraping and system manipulation." However, critics argue that limiting genuine users is an ineffective approach to block data miners and bots, highlighting a lack of technical understanding behind the move.
Musk's announcement came shortly after Twitter users worldwide experienced difficulties viewing their timelines or reading comments under tweets. In a tweet, Musk explained that temporary limits would be implemented, with verified accounts restricted to reading 6,000 posts per day, unverified accounts limited to 600 posts per day, and new unverified accounts allowed only 300 posts per day.

However, Musk later updated the limits to 8,000, 800, and 400 respectively, without specifying the duration of these "temporary" restrictions.

Since Musk's acquisition of Twitter for $44 billion in October, he has repeatedly expressed a desire to address non-human use of the platform, particularly by data-mining companies. As of Friday, Twitter has been made inaccessible to non-account holders due to aggressive data scraping that significantly impacted the user experience, according to Musk.

Concurrently, Musk has been promoting account verification, which comes at a cost of $8 per month. However, the prospect of increased tweet limits has not been well-received by users. In the United States, hashtags such as "#RIPTwitter" and "Goodbye Twitter" began trending in response to the changes.

Prominent American whistleblower Edward Snowden highlighted his inability to effectively use Twitter due to security concerns, as he often browses the platform without logging in. Other users, particularly those relying on Twitter for real-time updates on events like the conflict in Ukraine, expressed frustration that even verified accounts could exhaust their allocated tweet limits within a matter of hours.

Critics argue that Musk's limited understanding of web programming and the technical aspects of Twitter's infrastructure is evident in this move. The lack of expertise within his technical team is also called into question. Nevertheless, as Twitter is Musk's own platform, he seemingly has the luxury of making mistakes without significant consequences.

It remains uncertain whether Musk will maintain the newly implemented restrictions. Following his acquisition of Twitter, Musk acknowledged that he would likely make "lots of dumb things" in his efforts to overhaul the platform. He expressed a willingness to retain what works and modify what doesn't based on user feedback and experience.
Newsletter

Related Articles

PanamaTimes
0:00
0:00
Close
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
OpenAI Secures Multimillion-Dollar AI Contracts with Pentagon, India, and Grab
Brazilian Congress Rejects Lula's Proposed Tax Increase on Financial Transactions
Landslide in Bello, Colombia, Results in Multiple Casualties
Papa Johns pizza surge near the Pentagon tipped off social media before Trump's decisive Iran strike
Juncker Criticizes EU Inaction on Trump Tariffs
Minnesota Lawmaker Melissa Hortman and Husband Killed in Targeted Attack; Senator John Hoffman and Wife Injured
Wreck of $17 Billion San José Galleon Identified Off Colombia After 300 Years
Sole Survivor of Air India Crash Recounts Escape
Coinbase CEO Warns Bitcoin Could Supplant US Dollar Amid Mounting National Debt
UK and EU Reach Agreement on Gibraltar's Schengen Integration
Israeli Finance Minister Imposes Banking Penalties on Palestinians
U.S. Inflation Rises to 2.4% in May Amid Trade Tensions
Trump's Policies Prompt Decline in Chinese Student Enrollment in U.S.
Global Oceans Near Record Temperatures as CO₂ Levels Climb
Trump Announces U.S.-China Trade Deal Covering Rare Earths
Smuggled U.S. Fuel Funds Mexican Cartels Amid Crackdown
Protests Erupt in Los Angeles with Symbolic Flag Burning
Trump Administration Issues New Travel Ban Targeting 12 Countries
Man Group Mandates Full-Time Office Return for Quantitative Analysts
JPMorgan Warns Analysts Against Accepting Future-Dated Job Offers
Builder.ai Faces Legal Scrutiny Amid Financial Misreporting Allegations
Japan Grapples with Rice Shortage Amid Soaring Prices
Goldman Sachs Reduces Risk Exposure Amid Market Volatility
HSBC Chairman Mark Tucker to Return to AIA as Non-Executive Chair
Israel Confirms Arming Gaza Clan to Counter Hamas Influence
Judge Blocks Trump's Ban on International Students at Harvard
Trump Proposes Travel Ban on 'Uncontrolled' Countries
Panama Port Owner Balances US-China Pressures
Trump Administration Accused of Obstructing Deportation Cases
Trump’s China Strategy Remains a Geopolitical Puzzle
Eurozone Inflation Falls Below ECB Target to 1.9%
Call for a New Chapter in Globalisation Emerges
Blackstone and Rivals Diverge on Private Equity Strategy
Mayor’s Security Officer Implicated | Shocking New Details Emerge in NYC Kidnapping Case
Bangkok Ranked World's Top City for Remote Work in 2025
Denmark Increases Retirement Age to 70, Setting a European Precedent
Netanyahu Accuses Western Leaders of 'Emboldening Hamas'
Escalating Trade Tensions and Market Reactions
OnlyFans Reportedly in Talks for $8 Billion Sale
JBS Gains Shareholder Approval for U.S. Stock Listing
Booz Allen Hamilton to Cut 2,500 Jobs Amid Federal Spending Reductions
Trump Signs Executive Orders to Accelerate Nuclear Energy Development
Harvard Temporarily Blocks Trump Administration's International Student Ban
Nippon Steel Forms Partnership with U.S. Steel, Headquarters to Remain in Pittsburgh
Trump Expands Tariff Threats to Apple and Samsung Devices
Oracle and OpenAI Plan $40 Billion Nvidia Chip Purchase for AI Data Center
Trump Threatens 50% Tariff on EU Goods, Markets React
×