Twitter CEO Elon Musk faced a backlash from users after he announced that the platform would impose temporary limits on the number of posts that can be read per day.
In a tweet on Saturday, Musk said that the move was necessary to “address extreme levels of data scraping & system manipulation” and that the limits were as follows:
- Verified accounts are limited to reading 6,000 posts/day
- Unverified accounts to 600 posts/day
- New unverified accounts to 300/day
The tweet sparked an uproar among Twitter users, who accused Musk of violating free speech, restricting access to information, and imposing arbitrary rules without consultation.
Some of the replies to Musk’s tweet were:
- Dr Dípò Awójídé (@OgbeniDipo): “Elon, hire professionals and pay them for the job they do. There should be no limit to the number of tweets I read daily. You didn’t give me this condition when I subscribed to Twitter Blue.”
- Carlos Maslatón (@CarlosMaslaton): “Elon, please define the term “reading”. In any case let me manifest, as a verified account, that I’m totally against your decision.”
- 𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐝𝐢 (@ChidiNwatu): “Free speech, but you’re not allowed to use it too much. Are you serious right now, bro?”
Musk later tweeted that the rate limits would be increased soon to 8,000 for verified, 800 for unverified and 400 for new unverified accounts, but did not provide a timeline or a rationale for the change.
The controversy comes amid growing criticism of Musk’s leadership of Twitter, which he acquired in a surprise deal in 2022. Many users have complained about the lack of transparency, innovation, and accountability of the platform under his tenure.
Musk has also been accused of using his influence and wealth to manipulate markets, spread misinformation, and promote his personal interests through his tweets.