Twitter’s website now blocks anyone who isn’t logged into an account from viewing its content. The change, which the social media platform’s owner Elon Musk on Friday called a “temporary emergency measure,” began this week. Previously, visitors to Twitter’s website could see public tweets and user profiles without signing in, though a window that blocked their view of additional tweets would appear after they scrolled past an undisclosed amount. Now, the first page that they visit or direct link they click on will display a sign-in prompt.
“We were getting data pillaged so much that it was degrading service for normal users!” Musk said in a tweet, adding that the change is a necessary step to protect Twitter’s privacy and security. It’s the latest of many moves to restrict access to Twitter since Musk took over as CEO earlier this year.
Some Twitter users have complained about the new change. Others have noted that the move will affect their ability to use Twitter for research, such as OSINT (open-source intelligence), hate speech and misinformation studies. Some have also argued that the change will hinder efforts to find out who is behind online harassment and other forms of abusive behavior.
The change is also likely to limit the number of people who can use Twitter’s free features. In 2015, Twitter shared that it has “over 500 million” users who do not log in. The company’s monetized users, or those who pay for premium features, make up a smaller percentage of the total.
On the other hand, the change will allow Twitter to increase its revenue by requiring people who want to view tweets to sign in. The company is introducing new subscription plans to encourage people to get more value out of their Twitter experience, such as the ability to follow celebrities and have more control over who they see in their feed.
Despite the changes, it’s unclear whether the site will be able to boost its revenue enough to offset the loss of free users who might decide not to pay. Its free features remain limited compared to rival social networks and the company has been losing power users and ad revenues(opens in new tab) since it introduced its paid services. In June, Twitter announced it had ad sales that were 59 percent lower than the same period last year.
