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Twitter starts to require login to view tweets

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Re: Twitter starts to require login to view tweets

#391

Post by twobitshifter »

f0e4c2f7 wrote: post #67
AlwaysRock wrote: post #4

When Reddit started doing this it effectively broke my redditing habit. I know these things are annoying but for anyone who is trying to use social media less... Twitter, Reddit, and Instagram are almost unusable without their apps. They are basically useless if you dont sign in on the browser on your phone. It's great if you want to get off them.

I almost hesitate to share these because I too found that Reddit's dark patterns were a large part of what helped me break that habit. I recently discovered teddit.net which is a frontend for reddit with all dark patterns removed. There is also an alternative front end for twitter called nitter.net that you can use the same way to avoid the app / login.

There’s also libredd.it

Re: Twitter starts to require login to view tweets

#392

Post by garciasn »

kevin_thibedeau wrote: post #385
garciasn wrote: post #76

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's because they need to start collecting more first-party data from users who land on their site. This is a result of Apple (and others in the future) blocking third-party cookie tracking. They are doing this SOLELY because of the need for audience creation, marketing attribution, and ad revenue.

Broadcast radio, television, and print newspapers still exist without these things.

They sure do; however, digital media and social in particular, absolutely rely on significant investment in their audiences, attribution, etc in order to drive more revenue and thus higher CPMs. More traditional media (such as OOH, Print, etc) all rely on very high-level metrics such as daily traffic volumes and lack of direct impact evidence in their attribution of value.

This is why Facebook is SO very against what Apple is doing with iOS14+, particularly with cross-device and cross-app tracking opt-in, because they know it will decimate their ability to do what they do today.

Re: Twitter starts to require login to view tweets

#393

Post by njarboe »

Twitter started asking me for my phone number about a week ago to sign in. I did not provide it and complained that I should be able to verify my account with just the email on file. Then a few days ago I could login again, but my account was suspended. All the images on my tweets are blank and the list of people I follow is gone. I have appealed for reinstatement. We'll see how that goes. I was surprised not to see this new phone number requirement for twitter on HN or other sites sooner.

Re: Twitter starts to require login to view tweets

#394

Post by amatecha »

I knew Twitter has been going downhill for a long time, but I actually didn't think they'd stoop to this level. Super disappointing.

In the earliest years Twitter was such an awesome platform to connect with people and discuss stuff. I actually met a bunch of local fellow geeks (some of whom I am still in contact with), and also met tons of industry people in different areas over the years -- again people I still keep in touch with.

These days though, it's much harder to engage in new genuine discussions on the platform because it's so overloaded with sensationalistic noise and ragebait retweets. Even as I unfollow/mute accounts who propagate this stuff, it's just not feasible as it's become the primary context of basically the entire platform.

Further, the site itself shows you content from users you don't even follow (and that no one you follow retweeted), trying to "drive engagement" or whatever. It just compromises trust that I'll see stuff from the people I follow and not see crap that "some algorithm" wants me to see. I try to only access the service from 3rd party clients so I'm not basically abused by some engagement algorithm that forces ads and unrelated content at me. Twitter is the new Facebook.

BTW, if you're still reading this and want something like Twitter that isn't centralized and being ruined by the publicly-traded corporation that owns it, check out Mastodon[0]. Find an instance that aligns with your idea of a cool community and sign up there. Or start an instance with your circle of friends or whatever.

[0] https://joinmastodon.org/

Re: Twitter starts to require login to view tweets

#395

Post by smithza »

rozab wrote: post #219
bastard_op wrote: post #110

So can people please quit posting twitter feeds finally? Some of us still have never used or signed up with twitter, or feel the need to, and really don't want to. Bad enough they removed non-javascript access, since they are permablocked through noscript here, I simply close postings on HN that link there and curse them for bothering. Asking for a login atop that is just a 4x non-starter for "news" links. Yes, some…

I think some people have misunderstood this change. It's been active for me for about a week, I suspect most others without accounts just haven't noticed. Clicking on a linked tweet still works, it's only when you then click on another from within the site that it asks you for a login. It's the same approach Quora takes iirc.

I cannot view threads or expand images or see people's responses to threads any longer. This does not compel me to sign up at all. Quite the opposite effect. Twitter is not the ideal place for long form threads anyways. *yes lets just keep adding more 140 character mini blogs to make a long form news posting*

Re: Twitter starts to require login to view tweets

#396

Post by blendergeek »

pantalaimon wrote: post #261
Sohcahtoa82 wrote: post #223

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For reddit, IMO the simplest things you can do to improve the experience is to force the old reddit design (old.reddit.com) when on desktop, and use any app except the official app when on mobile.

The old mobile interface (i.reddit.com) works well too

You have changed my life.

Thank you.

Re: Twitter starts to require login to view tweets

#397

Post by Okx »

selfhoster11 wrote: post #304
BitwiseFool wrote: post #149

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The sooner reddit dies the better. What a toxic and manipulated hellhole it has become.

For larger subs, yeah. For smaller, specialised topical subs, I will defend them until Reddit forces a similar requirement as Twitter here.

It already does on mobile. It is impossible to view subreddits unless you sign in, you only get a "preview"

Re: Twitter starts to require login to view tweets

#399

Post by blitz_skull »

dorkwood wrote: post #376
lowkey_ wrote: post #297

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The above commenter is correct, the original question is silly, however much flak they may get as people here love IRC. Do you genuinely believe (1) IRC is anywhere near as usable as Twitter for the general population, or that (2) a real-time chat is an equivalent offering to Twitter?

You just need to make an IRC channel that contains everyone in the world.

Well to compare that to Twitter you'd also have to have everyone in the world on Twitter which is overwhelmingly not the case.
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