Twitter users and developers are angry with the new changes made by the micro-blogging social networking site. The change, in particular, pertains to restrictions on creating third-party apps.

Twitter’s unequivocal permission is now required before one can create a new app in service to hundreds of thousands of users.

According to critics, this will only restrain developers from creating pioneering products.

New restrictions for third-party app development angers developers. (Image: tiago_custodio (CC) via Flickr)

Twitter overhauled its API, or Application Programming Interface, which was originally an avenue for development of such prevalent third-party apps as Twitpic, Hootsuite and Tweetdeck.

According to Michael Sippey, consumer product director for Twitter, the new rules intend to “deliver a consistent Twitter experience.”

He adds that permission is required for Twitter client apps that “is accessing the home timeline, account settings or direct messages, API endpoints (typically used by traditional client applications) or are using our User Streams product” if these apps need more than 100,000 individual users.

New Display requirements are also implemented, and Sippey wrote that the company will revoke the app key if these conditions are not met.

Heavily Criticized

Apparently, developers are not happy with this announcement. In a blog post written by Marco Arment, Instapaper founder, he said that “Twitter has left themselves a lot of wiggle room with the rules.”

This means that he believes Twitter’s new rules are potentially unclear, and that the social network can decide that your app is breaking one of these rules. Your API access can be cancelled at any time, and even more so that, for Arment, it seems Twitter can adjoin a new rule that your application unintentionally violates.

Aside from Twitter, Google also made similar restrictions by charging firms that used Maps heavily.

About Neal Alfie Lasta

I enjoy learning and writing about social media and the latest in mobile updates.