Twitter has revealed that Tweetdeck, released in July 2021, a feature allowing users to customize their Twitter experience with multiple columns, will no longer be available for free.
Jane Manchun Wong, a security researcher, has uncovered an early version of a sign-up page for the app, which highlights it’s a “powerful, real-time tool for people who live on Twitter”. The app promises an ad-free experience to enhance the user's engagement on the platform.
In an announcement on 4th July, Twitter stated that Tweetdeck will become exclusive to subscribers of Twitter Blue, starting in 30 days. While users can still access their saved searches and workflows via tweetdeck.twitter.com, a new version of Tweetdeck has been launched. The news of Tweetdeck's transition to a subscription-only feature was met with swift criticism on the platform.
This updated version includes several minor updates aimed at enhancing the user experience, including an improved tweet composer that allows users to access all tweet functionality, such as adding GIFs and polls, and the ability to schedule tweets.
Advanced search filters have also been enhanced, and users now have the option to sort their TweetDeck columns based on "Top Tweets" or "Latest Tweets."
What caught our attention though is a new feature called Video Docking enabling users to watch videos while simultaneously performing other functions. While these updates may not be major advancements, they introduce handy elements that enhance the appeal of TweetDeck.
According to a tweet from Twitter Support, starting in 30 days, users will need to be Verified to access TweetDeck. However, it's important to note that Twitter no longer verifies users solely based on their subscription to Twitter Blue, as the platform's verification process has changed. Previously, when Elon Musk acquired Twitter, he implemented a monetization strategy that involved removing "legacy" blue check marks and charging for verification.
In November of last year, Twitter introduced its subscription service called Twitter Blue, priced at $2.99 per month. While some features, including top articles, were well-received, users expressed criticism towards Twitter for placing essential features like the "undo" button behind a paywall.
Twitter has also recently implemented temporary restrictions on the number of tweets users can read per day. This decision was made to combat what Musk referred to as "extreme levels of data scraping" and "system manipulation." Initially, unverified users had a limit of 600 tweets per day, but the exact number of tweets has been expanded and remains undisclosed as of Monday. It is unclear whether Musk's claims regarding the need to address data scraping were exaggerated or if the issue was somehow resolved within a mere two days.
Over the weekend, TweetDeck briefly served as a way to bypass Twitter's new restrictions, but the loophole was closed quickly. The introduction of these limitations seems to have motivated many users to explore alternative platforms like Bluesky, founded by Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey. Bluesky even had to temporarily pause sign-ups due to overwhelming interest.
In addition, Meta (formerly known as Facebook) has reportedly launched its own Twitter competitor called Threads on 6th July. The timing of this potential competition couldn't be better for Meta, as Twitter is currently facing numerous self-inflicted issues.
ALSO READ: Is Threads The New Twitter?
Since Elon Musk appointed Linda Yaccarino as the CEO of Twitter in June, she has been notably silent during what is arguably one of the biggest crises the platform has faced in years.
When asked about the situation, Twitter responded with a poop emoji, an automated response set up by Musk after acquiring the platform.
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