Palo Alto, California – Elon Musk, the tech mogul known for his ventures in space travel, electric vehicles, and more, has stirred a wave of discontent among social media users by placing TweetDeck, a popular dashboard service for managing tweets, behind a paywall.
The move to monetize TweetDeck now rebranded as X Pro, has left many social media enthusiasts dismayed. Formerly an independent app accessible at no cost, the service’s rebranding followed Twitter’s transition to X last month.
As of Wednesday, users attempting to access the URL tweetdeck.twitter.com were directed to an X premium Blue sign-up page, entailing a subscription fee slightly exceeding €9 per month.
TweetDeck, initially launched over a decade ago as a third-party platform, was acquired by Twitter in 2011. Renowned for its utility in facilitating tweet management, the platform allowed users to monitor multiple accounts, engage with tweets, view lists, trends, and hashtags through separate columns on the dashboard.
Elon Musk’s latest maneuver to introduce a paywall to TweetDeck is part of a series of changes since his acquisition of Twitter last year. Among his initial alterations was the introduction of a payment requirement for users seeking verified Twitter accounts, a move that drew substantial criticism. This subscription offered extended post lengths, formatting options, and elevated visibility in discussions.
Musk’s involvement also entailed the reinstatement of several banned users, including former US president Donald Trump, while simultaneously terminating the employment of a significant portion of Twitter’s workforce.
The incorporation of a paywall for TweetDeck has triggered concerns among users, many of whom lament the potential departure of the platform. The move follows Twitter’s recent rebranding to X, which involved a shift from the iconic bird logo to a new X icon across its headquarters and digital interfaces.
In anticipation of the change, Twitter’s support team announced modifications to TweetDeck. They unveiled the revamped version in early July, indicating that it would only be accessible to verified users after a 30-day grace period. It appears that Twitter has followed through on this commitment.
As the social media landscape evolves under Musk’s influence, the decision to place TweetDeck, a tool cherished by many for its organizational capabilities, behind a paywall has ignited debates about accessibility, user loyalty, and the evolving nature of online platforms.