Twitter’s newly appointed CEO Linda Yaccarino has come out in defense of the new cap on the number of tweets users can read daily, despite severe criticism from users and advertising professionals.
Yaccarino emphasized that as Twitter’s mission is to strengthen the platform, bold actions are necessary. Yaccarino wrote in her tweet: “When you have a mission like Twitter — you need to make big moves to keep strengthening the platform.”
This was her first public comment regarding the limits announced by owner Elon Musk, who aimed to deter excessive data scraping and system manipulation.
Backlash from advertisers
Since Musk’s announcement, Twitter users have shared screenshots showing their inability to view tweets, including those from corporate advertisers, once they reach the limit. Advertising professionals and people managing the social media accounts of various brands have expressed concerns that this could hinder Yaccarino’s efforts to attract advertisers.
Twitter clarified that only a small percentage of platform users have been affected by the limits. In a blog post, the company explained that such extreme measures are essential to ensure the authenticity of their user base by combating spam and bots.
The limit was implemented shortly after Twitter started requiring users to log into their accounts to view tweets.
Meta swoops in
Meanwhile, Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook, announced plans to launch a microblogging app called Threads, directly challenging Twitter. The platform has faced significant criticism since Musk acquired Twitter for $44 billion in 2022.
When asked why Yaccarino commented on the move three days after its announcement, Twitter did not respond but responded to Reuters with a poop emoji, which is the company’s standard reply to media inquiries.
Who is calling the shots?
When Musk first announced the Tweet reading limit, experts suggested that a decision like this, being told by Elon Musk, raises serious questions about the autonomy Linda Yaccarino exercises over Twitter’s policy. This, in turn, will deter potential advertisers for several reasons.
Linda’s comment, which came days after Musk’s, reinforces this notion. Furthermore, it also indicates that Yaccarino is a figurehead as Twitter’s CEO and that Elon Musk, despite being the CTO, is also calling the shots when it comes to policies.
