According to Elon Musk, the owner of Twitter, the platform has implemented temporary limits on the number of tweets users can read in a day. This decision comes after numerous users reported difficulties accessing the site on Saturday.

Musk stated in a tweet that verified accounts are now limited to reading 6,000 posts per day, while unverified accounts can only read 600 posts per day. Additionally, new unverified accounts have a limit of 300 posts per day.

The purpose of these temporary limits, as Musk explained, is to address “extreme levels of data scraping & system manipulation.” However, he did not provide further details regarding the specific nature of the data scraping or the identities of those responsible.

Data scraping involves collecting large amounts of data from websites or online sources. It can serve various purposes, such as market research, competitive analysis, or political campaigning.

To address extreme levels of data scraping & system manipulation, we’ve applied the following temporary limits:

– Verified accounts are limited to reading 6000 posts/day
– Unverified accounts to 600 posts/day
– New unverified accounts to 300/day

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 1, 2023

In recent years, social media platforms have faced significant challenges related to data scraping. Companies and individuals have exploited data scraping techniques to gather personal information about users, track their online activities, and even manipulate their behavior.

Twitter has been a particularly attractive target for data scrapers due to its extensive user base and diverse range of collectible data, including tweets, followers, and interests.

By limiting the number of tweets users can read, Musk demonstrates his commitment to addressing the issue of data scraping. This move also serves as a reminder that social media platforms are susceptible to the same security and privacy risks as other online services.

The duration of these temporary limits remains uncertain. Musk mentioned that they would be lifted “as soon as we are confident that the problem is solved.”

During this period, Twitter users concerned about their privacy may consider using third-party applications to block data scrapers. Several free and paid apps, such as TweetDelete and Privacy Badger, are available for this purpose.