Twitter now requires an account to view tweets (techcrunch.com)

Article summary

Twitter now requires users to have an account to view tweets, which may be a tactic to force silent lurkers into creating an account. This change could potentially backfire, as it may affect search engine rankings and annoy users. The reason behind this change is unclear, but it may be related to Elon Musk's concerns about data pillaging. Twitter has not commented on this change, which has been met with skepticism and criticism from users.

Main themes

• Twitter account requirements
• data pillaging
• user experience
• search engine rankings
• town square model
• ad revenue

What commenters say

• Requiring an account to view tweets is a counterintuitive move that may harm Twitter's user base and search engine rankings.
• The change may be an attempt to prevent data pillaging, but this reason is met with skepticism.
• Some users are frustrated by the change and feel that it is an attempt to strong-arm them into creating an account.
• Others argue that the majority of Twitter users are already logged in and that this change will not have a significant impact.
• The change may disproportionately affect users who access Twitter through links or third-party apps.
• Some commenters believe that Twitter's actions are contradictory to its town square model and may be motivated by a desire to increase ad revenue.
• The use of the term 'data pillaging' is seen as misleading or vague by some commenters.
• The change may lead to a decrease in Twitter's usability and accessibility for casual users.