More third-party Twitter apps fall to 100,000 user ceiling

Tweetro and Tweet Lanes hit token limit 

 

 

A pair of popular third-party Twitter apps, including the only one designed for the new Windows 8 UI, are the latest to fall victim to the company's increasingly tight API restrictions.
Tweetro for Windows 8 has been denied permission to exceed the recently-introduced 100,000 token (user) limit, Twitter places on apps developed by outside companies.
The app reached the limit on November 10 and has been unsuccessful in his application for an exemption, meaning new Windows 8 users are unable to sign up.
Twitter has been progressively tightening restrictions on apps which access its timeline as it seeks to direct users to its official suite of apps and web services.

Does not qualify

Twitter told New Zealand-based developer Lazyworm in an email: "As you know, we discourage developers from building apps that replicate our core user experience (aka "Twitter clients"). We know that there are developers that want to take their passion for Twitter and its ecosystem to unique underserved situations. As such, we have built some flexibility into our policy with regard to user tokens – which went into effect September 5th, 2012.
"…Unfortunately, It does not appear that your service addresses an area that our current or future products do not already serve. As such, it does not qualify for an exemption."
The key word there seems to be 'future' as Twitter is yet to release an official client that plays nice with the new Windows 8 UI.

Tweet Lanes ends development

Another app to hit the 100,000 user limit is Tweet Lanes. As a result developer Chris Lacey will cease further development.

"It saddens me greatly to announce that going forward, I won't be actively developing Tweet Lanes as I have to this point," Lacey wrote to users.

"The cold hard reality is that with this immovable, 100,000 user ceiling, my plans for growing and eventually monetizing the app are no longer feasible.

"This will likely be disappointing news for many of you, but given I spent a good chunk of my spare time for 10+ months working on this app, believe me when I say this decision pains me more than it does anyone else."

The Twitter API changes will come into effect in March 2013, but the company, as evidenced by these developments, is already working hard on enforcing them.

Twitter users with few followers may escape action over offensive tweets

Lawmakers debate social media 'reach' 

 

Social media users with few friends or followers may be more likely to get away with posting offensive material, whereas more popular accounts may face prosecution, under new laws.
The Director of Public Prosecutions, Kevin Starmer QC is developing guidelines which will combat the growing influence of Twitter and Facebook, while also protecting the nature of free speech online.
According to a Telegraph report, Starmer said it may be appropriate for the reach of a social networking account to be taken into consideration before the police take action over "grossly offensive" tweets, mainly due to the sheer scale of potential offenses.
He said: "Millions of cases could potentially be put through our system. More cases than the combined number of every other offence on the statute book."

Setting boundaries

The apparent haste to establish boundaries comes following a host of recent incidents, which attracted the attention of the authorities (i.e. those who carry handcuffs and big sticks).
First came the arrest of a teenager who tweeted Olympic diver Tom Daley abuse regarding the death of his father. Despite Daley retweeting the message, the offender was was not prosecuted due to the relative obscurity of his Twitter account.
Just last week, a Kent man was arrested after posting a photo of himself burning a Remembrance Day Poppy on Facebook.
The arrests relate to section 127 of the Communications Act, which outlaws the sending of "grossly offensive" messages via telecoms networks.
Section 127 has "never quite had the focus it has had over the last 12 months," said Starmer.