Key Takeaways
Twitter restricts access to Meta's Threads app, raising concerns about anti-competitive practices.
Tech blogger criticizes Twitter for blocking links to Threads, accusing them of hindering free speech.
In a controversial move that has raised concerns about anti-competitive practices, Twitter has reportedly begun blocking links to Threads - a social networking app developed by Meta which is the parent company of Facebook.
According to reports that emerged on Monday, 10 July, Twitter appears to be specifically restricting certain links to Mark Zuckerberg's recently launched social media application.
While some connections are functional, others are noticeably blocked - making it harder for users to find conversations and profiles on Threads.
Threads, which was launched on July 5, has quickly become the fastest-expanding social media platform, frequently trending on Twitter.
Analysts think that Twitter's decision to restrict specific Threads' links from its search results may be a bid to retain user engagement on its platform and prevent them from switching to its competitor.
Recently appointed Twitter CEO Linda Yaccarino is refuting claims that Twitter's user activity is declining following the launch of a new competitor.
However, the company does appear to be worried about the potential risk posed by Threads, which has already gained over 100 million users.
Notable tech blogger, Andy Baio, was among the first to point out that some links to Threads were not functioning on Twitter.
After an unsuccessful search using the query "url:threads.net," Baio shared his discovery on Threads, indicating that Twitter was selectively blocking search results containing links to Threads.
Baio criticized Twitter's action, branding it as "anti-competitive."
He accused Twitter of contradicting its supposed advocacy for free speech by establishing an isolated platform that hampers open discussion.
Hiding tweets about Threads seems fully in line with Twitter’s new anti-competitive stance, creating a fully walled garden that blocks open expression while hypocritically claiming to promote free speech.
Twitter's recent restrictions on Threads coincide with an incident involving the platform's owner, Elon Musk, and Meta.
Musk criticized Meta for allegedly copying Twitter and even threatened a lawsuit against the company. In his remarks, Musk also insulted Zuckerberg in an unethical way.
It is worth noting that Twitter has a history of taking action against content from companies it perceives as competitors on its platform.
Earlier this year, Twitter responded to the launch of Substack's "Notes" feature, which aimed to compete with certain aspects of Twitter.
As a response, Twitter prevented its users from liking or retweeting tweets containing Substack links. Additionally, Substack links were classified as unsafe by Twitter.
However, the tensions between the two platforms didn't last long and quickly dissipated within a day.
In another incident, the platform has also reportedly blocked access to Google Search and unregistered users - leading to a significant 62% decline in Google's index saturation of Twitter.
This development is likely to cause notable worry among marketers, as it can have a significant impact on the visibility of brands that heavily rely on Google Search.
Moreover, previous tweets that used to perform well in Google Search rankings may experience a decrease in their position, leading to a decrease in reach and click-through rates.