Twitter is now blocking third-party apps. In plain English, what that means is if—for whatever reason—you're still on the platform and have been using an app like Twitterific or Tweetbot instead of the native Twitter app to read tweets, you're now shit out of luck. Because, reasons.

From The Verge:

Twitter confirmed that it's purposefully blocking third-party apps like Tweetbot and Twitterific following days of silence. In a post on Twitter, the company writes that it's "enforcing its long-standing API rules," which "may result in shttps://apps.apple.com/us/app/tweetbot-for-twitter/id1527500834ome apps not working."

While the statement confirms suspicions that Twitter had been purposefully locking users out of third-party Twitter clients, it doesn't even contain a link to the rules that Twitter's referring to and still doesn't tell us anything about what's really going on. This is the first time Twitter's acknowledging the issue since apps started breaking last Thursday.

Twitter's vagueness isn't much of a surprise, given that the company dismantled its communications team as part of CEO Elon Musk's mass layoffs. One senior Twitter engineer reportedly told employees that the third-party outages are "intentional" but never explained why, according to internal messages obtained by The Information.

The situation has left both developers, who make a living off of these apps, and users, who use them to enhance their Twitter experience, frustrated and confused. While one app, Tweetbot, briefly came back online over the weekend, that was only because co-creator Paul Haddad swapped out its API keys. This put the app in a semi-working state and allowed it to temporarily bypass the ban.

Other Twitter clients, like Albatross and the iOS version of Fenix, continue working, and — again — it's entirely unclear what these apps are doing that Tweetbot and Twitterific aren't. It doesn't look like Twitter's communicating with developers, either.

"We have still heard nothing from anyone at Twitter on any level," Tweetbot co-creator Paul Haddad tells The Verge. "If there's some long-standing rule that we've been unknowingly breaking for the last 10+ years, we'd love to know what it is so that, if possible, we can comply with it."

Five years old, but more timely than ever:

Leaving Twitter Cold Turkey

It Only Takes 6 Days to Kick Your Twitter Habit

I recently witnessed my husband undergo a Twitter detox and it was fucking glorious.

We were both were sitting at our computers one night ingesting the toxic garbage that is currently being circulated throughout Twitter and something out of the ordinary happened.

"I did it… I deleted my Twitter account!" my husband exclaimed looking over at me while letting out a satisfying sigh of relief.

The fact that he pulled the plug left me shocked, yet relieved.

Often, I would watch him frantically type while yelling at his screen over ridiculous arguments, most of which ended with someone falsely calling him a racist, or making creepy-personal attacks. Other times, I would join in and we both would falsely get accused of being evil, sexist racists together. Keep in mind these futile arguments would normally start over some retweet or article we dared share.

While he surprised me with his abrupt decision to disconnect, I get why he went all in and didn't look back. The trick to successfully quitting Twitter is to do so with one quick forceful action. Sort of like ripping an old Band-Aid off an already scabbed knee.

Basically, Fuck Twitter-It's Toxic.

What was once a liberating social platform to speak your mind has quickly turned into a cesspool of manipulated garbage, ridiculous reporting and carefully calculated algorithms pushing one-sided narratives.

I do not enjoy spending my time and days listening to petty arguments that resemble high school hallways. It's one thing to hear it from the usual establishment Democrats like Neera Tanden or the "oppressed" Progressive Army, but to hear the nauseating arguments of Russia Gate, White Supremacy and Nazi hysteria from those I personally know, and have shared endless amounts of information with is where I draw some sort of line.

Don't get me wrong, there are amazing people I have met on Twitter and will continue to work with those who share my values on how to treat people and how to share information honestly. But, the past year of endless attacks from shills, trolls, and virtue signaling social justice warriors have officially made me despise what Twitter has become.

Why are we insisting on using a social platform that we know uses our emotions, brains, and data to socially control us?

Why not instead of shrugging our shoulders and going along with the unethical practices of Jack and his never-ending new guidelines we boycott them?

Time to stop the temper tantrums and thinking anywhere but Twitter is a waste of time and worthless. Because you know what is worthless? Twitter. Why? Because all it has to offer is scripted talking points, stupid fights and petty statements made about one another based on propaganda and fake news. Yes, some fights are worth it, but most leave you feeling the need to stand your ground and defeat every last fucking troll that comes into your mentions.

Personally, I think everybody should try this a Twitter detox. When you remove Twitter from your days you soon realize life is full of all sorts of interesting and factual information. You learn that spending time on a platform that is nothing more than an echo chamber of insane personas and fake blue check marks does nothing to help you or your cause. Most of the time all it does is fuel internal counter-productive rage.

I refuse to believe the majority of us are so dependent on some sold out social platform that has gone to shit and run by assholes.

The days following my husbands Twitter departure left him time to read two new books, create some art, do some much-needed work and crank up the stereo with his favorite music on, not giving a fuck about much else.

I hope those who continue living their days on Twitter fighting the fake outrage with lies and smears about others can stop at some point and remember who the real enemy is and what the real fight is about.

Above all else, I hope we all realize that pursuing your political and personal passions is done beyond Twitter, Facebook or any other social media platform for that matter.

…I got off. (And not that way, you perverts!)

With Musk's imminent acquisition of the already borderline cesspool service, and the inevitable reinstatement of the Orange Russian Wig Stand, the floodgates of racist, misogynistic, homophobic effluent have already been opened. I originally got back on the service months ago for the porn. It's been a good source for many of the photos I repost here. But it seems that more and more overtly political posts were creeping into my timeline, reaching the point that for every one post of a handsome man, there were a dozen posts highlighting in some way the downfall of western civilization, and they were—much like they did after November 2016— making me unnecessarily angry and depressed.

So it's back to Tumblr and various blogs for pornographic inspiration, and Elon can run Twitter into the ground as far as I'm concerned since legitimate advertising revenue will undoubtedly dry up as the level of hate ramps up.