Twitter to roll out direct message updates including encryption and 'any emoji reactions'
Things have been undeniably chaotic at Twitter since the arrival of Elon Musk, but the social network is still rolling out new features. Next in line for an update are direct messages.
DMs are due to receive a batch of new features and functionality, not least of which is a much-requested security feature -- encryption. But there is much more to look forward to. And if all goes according to plan, the new features will roll out later this month.
Welcome to Twitter, who are you again?
If you've visited Twitter this morning you may have found that the platform appears to have forgotten that you exist.
Users around the world are being presented with a friendly 'Welcome to Twitter' message urging them to find some people to follow, despite having been on Twitter for years and already following hundreds of people.
Twitter updates its Violent Speech Policy to ban wishing ill on others... unless it is hyperbolic
Twitter has announced its latest update that limits what users may and may not post on the social platform. In the latest version of its Violent Speech Policy, the company now bans not only threats of harm, but also wishes of harm to others.
The policy still prevents users from posting what Twitter describes as "violent threats", "incitement of violence" and "glorification of violence". The update adds that users also "may not wish, hope, or express desire for harm", going on to explain that "this includes (but is not limited to) hoping for others to die, suffer illnesses, tragic incidents, or experience other physically harmful consequences".
CISA director says Microsoft and Twitter should be more like Apple in terms of security
In a speech that lauded Apple for not only its security practices but also its transparency, Jen Easterly from the CISA said that Microsoft and Twitter needed to do more to keep their users secure.
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency director was speaking at Carnegie Mellon University where she made particular reference to multifactor authentication. Easterly praised Apple for enabling MFA by default while describing Microsoft and Twitter as "disappointing" in this area.
Twitter could be about to open source its algorithm
There is a great deal to be said in favor of making software, apps and code available on an open source basis. And this is particularly true of the algorithms that influence so many aspects of life, and control what is seen online.
Now Elon Musk has suggested that Twitter's own algorithm could be made open source -- perhaps as soon as next week.
Now you can pay to get verified on Facebook and Instagram as Meta takes a leaf out of Twitter's book
Not to be outdone by Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg has taken to Instagram to announce the rollout of a paid-for Meta Verified program. While it is already possible to receive a Twitter-style blue tick of verification on Facebook and Instagram, the new subscription service will give users the opportunity to pay for the badge.
Echoing the claims of Musk, Zuckerberg says that "this new feature is about increasing authenticity and security across our services". With a charge of between $12 and $15 per month, there is obviously a financial benefit for Meta as well.
Twitter is going to make you pay for some elements of 2FA -- act now to secure your account for free!
Two-factor authentication (2FA) is an important means of securing accounts, making it significantly harder for hackers to gain unauthorized access. So it is perhaps a little surprising that Twitter has announced that it is locking one of the most popular 2FA methods behind a paywall.
The company has announced that SMS-based two-factor authentication will only be available to paying Twitter Blue subscribers. The change will take effect on March 20, and after this date non-paying Twitter users will be limited to securing their account with either an authentication app or a physical security key.
Twitter delays the rollout of paid API access yet again, and confirms researchers will lose free access
Free access to the Twitter API was meant to end yesterday, but the company has announced that there will be a brief stay of execution. Having already extended the cut-off by four days, Twitter now says that "we will be delaying the launch of our new API platform by a few more days".
The delay is blamed on "an immense amount of enthusiasm for the upcoming changes with Twitter API", but the lack of detail and clarity about what is happening is causing confusion and anger. Over the weekend, the company also contacted academic researchers to inform them that they will be losing free access to the API as well; it had previously been expected that such education and research-related usage would remain free.
Big tech layoffs have a far-reaching impact
The recent big tech layoffs have profoundly impacted industries outside of technology because the sector has long been seen as a driving force for innovation and economic growth. The layoff announcements by companies like Google, Microsoft and Amazon have raised concerns about the tech industry's future and the ripple effects throughout the economy.
Below are several major tech companies that have laid off employees as they navigate the challenges of a rapidly changing industry:
Twitter reveals scant details of its controversial changes to API access, including 'a new form of free access'
There has been a lot of backlash against Twitter's plans to stop offering free access to its API, a move that will result in many bots, apps and services no longer working. Free access to the Twitter API was due to end on February 9, but now the company has given this cut-off a very brief extension as it reveals details of paid API access tiers, as well as sketchy information about a new, limited, free tier.
The extension to free access is very brief indeed -- just an extra four days, making the new end date February 13. Twitter has also shared information about pricing for what it describes as "paid basic access" to the API. While on the face of things, the $100 per month price tag is not high, for hobbyist developers with bots and apps, this will be too much.
Elon Musk responds to criticism of shuttering free Twitter API access by offering free, write-only access to 'bots providing good content that is free'
The turbulent seas of Twitter show no signs of calming since the tempestuous Elon Musk took over. Having caused confusion and irritation by blocking third-party clients, Twitter then announced that free access to its API will end this week, with the effect of killing off large numbers of bots, services and tools -- including Mastodon migraters' favorite Movetodon.
Ending free access to the Twitter API has, understandably, not gone down well, with developers being highly and vocally critical of the move. Now, having listened to feedback, Musk says that "Twitter will enable a light, write-only API for bots providing good content that is free".
Twitter has killed Movetodon, the service that simplified moving from Twitter to Mastodon
The exodus from Twitter to Mastodon shows little signs of slowing down, and numerous websites and services have popped up to make it easier to jump to the decentralized social network. One such tool is Movetodon, designed to help anyone moving to Mastodon to find the people they were previously following on Twitter.
Movetodon has proved incredibly popular, but it has just been killed off by Twitter. The Elon Musk-owned site announced this week that it is ending free access to its API on February 9, but ahead of this, Twitter has blocked Movetodon's access to the API, rendering the service non-functionable, alleging violation of unspecified rules and policies.
Twitter is ending free API access next week, killing off swathes of apps in the process
Having already banned all third-party clients, Twitter has now announced that it is completely dropping free access to its APIs. In an announcement made via the Twitter Dev account, the company says: "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".
The move will effectively kill off unknown -- but large -- numbers of apps and tools that depend on the Twitter API. While getting rid of free API access is unlikely to impact larger apps such as Hootsuite, those produced by smaller, independent developers are unlikely to be able to shoulder the costs.
Section platform makes it easier to deploy Mastodon servers
Following Elon Musk’s takeover of Twitter, Mastodon has been the platform of choice for many of the people seeking to flee the blue bird platform, or just looking for a lifeboat in case Twitter finally sinks.
One of the strengths of Mastodon, but also one of its drawbacks, is its distributed, open source nature whereby people can stand up their own Mastodon servers. This means there's no central control, however, you need some technical expertise to create and run a server.
Twitter officially bans all third-party clients, forcing people to use its own apps
While there has still been no announcement, Twitter has updated its developer agreement so that third-party clients are now prohibited. Over the course of the last week or so, we've already seen the likes of Tweetbot and Twitterific rendered useless after the company blocked API access.
Twitter later said that it was merely enforcing long-standing rules, but failed to provide any details or clarification. But now a new developer agreement has been published that slaps a ban on the creation of, "a substitute or similar service or product to the Twitter Applications" -- in other words, third party Twitter apps are now forbidden.
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