Elon Musk makes logging in mandatory for viewing tweets on Twitter

Twitter has made it compulsory for users to sign in to their accounts to view tweets and user profiles. 

The sudden update, effective immediately, means that individuals can no longer access tweets or profiles without being logged in or having an account on the microblogging platform. 

Elon Musk, the CEO of Twitter's parent company, acknowledged the change as a "temporary emergency measure," citing concerns over data pillaging that had been severely impacting the platform's performance for normal users.

"We were getting data pillaged so much that it was degrading service for normal users!" Musk exclaimed in a tweet, revealing the rationale behind the decision.

While the update aimed to tackle data scraping issues, it caught many users off-guard as no prior announcement was made by Twitter. Upon attempting to view content without logging in, users were redirected to a sign-in page, urging them to create an account or log in using their Google or Apple credentials.

Elon Musk has been vocal about safeguarding Twitter's data from unauthorised use, particularly by artificial intelligence firms. Earlier this year, Musk's lawyer Alex Spiro sent a letter to Microsoft's CEO, alleging a breach of data usage agreement between the companies. The tech billionaire has made it clear that legal actions will be taken against any entity that unlawfully extracts data from Twitter's platform.

Twitter's decision to implement this "temporary emergency measure" aligns with their recent efforts to regain advertisers who had left the platform during Musk's tenure and to increase subscription revenue through the Twitter Blue program. However, no specific duration for the new policy was disclosed.

As Twitter ventures into new areas to revitalise its business, they also announced plans to focus on video, creator, and commerce partnerships beyond traditional digital advertising. Additionally, Twitter has begun charging users for access to its application programming interface (API), used by third-party apps and researchers.

The platform's move to require logins for accessing tweets and profiles has sparked a mixed response among users. While some applaud the measure for addressing data privacy concerns, others express concerns about accessibility and user experience.

With Elon Musk's endorsement, the industry awaits further developments to see if this "temporary emergency measure" indeed helps mitigate data pillaging issues and improve user satisfaction on Twitter's platform. As the world's richest person, Musk's influence on the company's strategies and policies remains a subject of interest for tech enthusiasts and investors alike.