Nobody thought [Twitter] was a good idea. And I distinctly remember my colleague Evan Williams saying, 'Well, neither is ice cream. Should we ban ice cream and all joy or can we have something that's just fun? What's wrong with that?'
I had the honor to be interviewed for Michael Minelli, Michele Chambers and Ambiga Dhiraj's book "Big Data, Big Analytics: Emerging Business Intelligence and Analytic Trends for Today's Businesses" (also on amazon).
Here is an excerpt (pp. 31-34):
Empowering Marketing with Social Intelligence
We also spoke with Niv Singer, Chief Technology Officer at Tracx, a social media intelligence software provider. Niv had quite a bit to say about the big data challenges faced in the social media realm and how it's impacting the way business is done today - and in the future.
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You MUST upgrade by March 5th. All previous versions will stop working due to Twitter API changes.
Twitter framed the API v1.1 changes as a move to fight abuse and improve stability. But for many developers, it felt like the beginning of the end of an open platform.
Yes, authentication and rate limits make technical sense. But forcing all access behind stricter controls and approvals also made it easier to restrict usage, favor paying partners, and protect ad revenue. Free experimentation became harder. Third-party clients were boxed in. Innovation suddenly required permission.
Was it about money? Not directly in the announcement, but strategically, yes. Locking down data creates leverage for monetization.
What's most disappointing is the shift in mindset. Twitter didn't just change an API. It changed the relationship with its developer community.
Our new bird grows out of love for ornithology, design within creative constraints, and simple geometry. This bird is crafted purely from three sets of overlapping circles — similar to how your networks, interests and ideas connect and intersect with peers and friends. Whether soaring high above the earth to take in a broad view, or flocking with other birds to achieve a common purpose, a bird in flight is the ultimate representation of freedom, hope and limitless possibility.
