By Will Kessler
Twitter appears to have made a major policy change Friday, limiting which users can view content on the platform.
The popular social media site appears to now be requiring users to log in or register with the site to view content, departing from the previous policy of allowing those without accounts to view content but not interact on the platform, such as liking or commenting, the Daily Caller News Foundation has found. The platform has seen a number of changes since Elon Musk struck a tentative deal to buy the company in April 2022, including the introduction of Twitter Blue, a premium subscription service, and a change in the blue check mark designation that previously verified individuals’ accounts.
The social media giant has not yet publicly addressed the change.
Musk officially purchased the company in October 2022 for $52.20 per share, totaling $44 billion. Since buying the company, Musk has undergone an effort to increase profitability and monetization by instituting paid blue check marks and cutting down on staff, including the dissolution of the social media site’s board of directors.
Despite this effort, advertisers like Apple, Amazon and Disney have cut spending on the site, citing the presence of supposedly deceptive and dangerous content since Musk took ownership. U.S. advertising revenue for Twitter dropped 59% during the five weeks from April to the first week of May compared to the previous year, totaling $88 million, according to The New York Times.
Twitter has since gained a new CEO after a Twitter poll from Musk, where users voted on whether he should step down from the position.
Linda Yaccarino has since taken the position and indicated in June that she would not institute widespread censorship, signaling a commitment to free speech, saying, “Have you ever been talking with someone particularly insightful and thought, you should have the freedom to speak your mind. We all should. Enter Twitter 2.0.”
Twitter did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the DCNF.
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