In response to Elon Musk’s decision to impose a cap on tweet rates, Twitter has experienced a series of disruptions. Recently, the platform began hiding tweets unless users are logged in and implemented rate limiting measures, supposedly to counteract data scraping activities. These actions are now causing ripple effects throughout the Twitter ecosystem. Numerous users have reported issues with Tweetdeck, a power-user version of Twitter, which appears to have ceased functioning. Moreover, Google Search is displaying up to 50 percent fewer Twitter URLs due to the logged-in requirement, as reported by Search Engine Roundtable.
For many users, including BuyTechBlog, Tweetdeck has become virtually unusable, with most columns displaying nothing but a spinning wheel. This could be attributed to a bug within Twitter’s web app, resulting in a continuous loop of requests that essentially creates a “self-DDOS” (distributed denial of service) situation, as outlined by Waxy. Researcher Molly White also highlighted that this problem is compounded in Tweetdeck for all columns other than the “Home” column, as they constantly attempt to reload non-existent pages (404 errors).
While it is possible to make columns visible again by utilizing a new beta version of Tweetdeck, they remain subject to the rate limits, allowing only 800 tweets for non-Twitter Blue subscribers. Consequently, most users will encounter a lack of new tweets shortly after loading Tweetdeck.
Additionally, Google Search may exhibit a reduction of up to 50 percent in displaying Twitter URLs following Musk’s decision to block unregistered users. Barry Schwartz from Search Engine Roundtable discovered this decline by using the site command, observing a decline of approximately 52 percent in indexed Twitter pages compared to the previous Friday. Although recent tweets can still be found in the Search carousel, regular indexing appears to be dysfunctional at present. Schwartz noted, “While a site command may not be the most accurate metric, Twitter has experienced a decrease of around 162 million indexed pages since this change.”
Although the accuracy of the “self-DDOS” theory remains unconfirmed, developer Sheldon Chang’s post on Mastodon suggests that the elimination of anonymous access to Twitter may contribute to these issues. Twitter has assured users that the login requirement and rate limiting are temporary measures but has not provided a specific timeline for when these restrictions will be lifted.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Twitter apps malfunction
What is causing the malfunction of Twitter’s apps?
The malfunction of Twitter’s apps is primarily attributed to Elon Musk’s decision to cap tweet rates, which has resulted in various disruptions and issues across the platform.
Why are users experiencing problems with Tweetdeck?
Users are experiencing problems with Tweetdeck due to a bug in Twitter’s web app, which causes requests to be sent in an infinite loop. This creates a “self-DDOS” situation, leading to Tweetdeck’s functionality being severely affected.
How is Google Search affected by these changes?
Google Search is showing fewer Twitter URLs, up to 50 percent less, following Elon Musk’s move to block unregistered users. This decrease is a result of the logged-in requirement imposed by Twitter, affecting the indexing of Twitter pages in Google’s search results.
Are there any workarounds for using Tweetdeck?
While the regular version of Tweetdeck is facing issues, users can try using a new beta version of Tweetdeck, which may allow columns to be displayed. However, even with the beta version, users are still subject to rate limits on the number of tweets they can see.
Are the login requirement and rate limiting measures permanent?
Twitter has assured users that the login requirement and rate limiting are temporary measures. However, the platform has not provided a specific timeline for when these restrictions will be lifted or eliminated entirely.
More about Twitter apps malfunction
- Elon Musk’s tweet about rate limiting on Twitter
- Tweetdeck
- Google Search
- Data scraping
- Self-DDOS
- Twitter’s official announcements
- Search Engine Roundtable article on Google Search and Twitter URLs
