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Twitter Enforces Stricter A.P.I. Rules

Sure to offend many app developers and publishers, Twitter just detailed stricter rules and regulations for its application programming interface, or A.P.I.

“Developers probably aren’t going to be thrilled with all the new rules,” The New York Times’ Bits blog writes. Yet, “From a business standpoint, Twitter’s decision to limit the use of the A.P.I. is an attempt to rationalize and control its business.”

“The new rules appear to be an attempt by the company to make sure it can finance its enormous, always flowing stream of data,” Wired.com suggests. “That means Twitter is going to require client apps to meet its terms, and will limit how much data each can get via authentication.”

Regarding one new change -- which makes design recommendations a requirement -- WebProNews writes: “The rule is obviously meant to make Twitter look consistent across all platforms and devices … but it does nothing to help developers. It puts undue stress on them.”

“My main objection is that I wish Twitter had their own house in better order before telling everyone else to ‘shape up or ship out,’” MG Siegler writes on his parislemon blog.

“Twitter's long-awaited crackdown on outside apps could prove to be one of the boldest and most controversial moves in its history,” according to ReadWriteWeb. “But if you consider Twitter's position, it's actually reasonable. And it could play an important role in Twitter's survival.”

What’s more, as Matt McGee reasons in Marketing Land: “Twitter developers may not like some of the details, but they finally have more clarity about Twitter’s plans for its API and how it expects the overall developer ecosystem to look and operate in the future.”

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