Tech giant X is being called out for restricting links to rival platforms intentionally, causing a massive delay in load timings when users link through it.
The news comes to us thanks to The Markup who mentioned how the amount of traffic from Twitter’s end is slowing down on such links related to apps like Messenger, WhatsApp, and even Patreon.
The analyst firm also similarly spoke about how it was using a tool that it designed recently to come to this conclusion that proved how users' links to such sites were experiencing a delay of nearly 2.5 seconds.
For many, the delay might appear to be small but when you look at things through practical means, it’s actually quite major. Moreover, it appears like X is doing everything in its power to prevent users from making the mighty switch to other apps.
The reason behind the logic is simple. X wants to stop users from making the switch because such rivals are offering similar services or they might have some sort of competitive features arising that it feels can nullify the need of its own platform.
The strategy seems to be smart and again, it’s not a huge surprise for obvious reasons.
During the start of the year, reports were out and about linked to X battling links related to such competitors including top-of-the-line publishing platforms such as Instagram and Blusky. And if that was not enough, there were reports about delayed load timings for several links related to The New York Times.
This happens to be one reason why Elon Musk keeps getting bashed for the behavior and many demand answers for such behavior because punishing links through such means because Musk may have some rivalry linked to it is just not okay.
What is interesting is how the billionaire entrepreneur and owner of X failed to accept or reject the claims. Moreover, he just does not acknowledge the fact that certain websites are showing delays in terms of traffic diverted toward external sites.
So even if the link gets named across a post on the platform, it will cause a de-boosting effect when rival apps are considered.
Are many people surprised? Not really because Elon Musk is never famous for playing well or putting out offers that he thinks are a great means for promotion that’s free of cost through his apps.
However, it’s his publicity and reputation that really means the world, and it actually makes sense how it doesn’t reflect too well on providing the right type of competition for his app that has been speculated to offer everything soon.
Let’s not forget how X is gearing toward a launch of Substack which happens to be a part of the long type of content push that Musk has been dreaming about to ensure users don’t leave his platform and block out any other rival that chooses to intervene.
Now the question is whether or not the decision taken by Musk is a smart one or not?
Right now, it’s not hard to mention all of this. Yes, it’s on the verge of being extreme when compared to how classic apps continue to operate. Moreover, it’s similarly worth mentioning how Twitter has ended up struggling to produce profits. Therefore, the popularity was there but the success didn’t churn out to be much.
This is a clear indication of how X must adopt things in a different manner and turn out to be an app that’s more reliable and encases greater value.
Read next: Google's Stance on Age Verification Sparks Debate and a Hint of Irony
The news comes to us thanks to The Markup who mentioned how the amount of traffic from Twitter’s end is slowing down on such links related to apps like Messenger, WhatsApp, and even Patreon.
The analyst firm also similarly spoke about how it was using a tool that it designed recently to come to this conclusion that proved how users' links to such sites were experiencing a delay of nearly 2.5 seconds.
For many, the delay might appear to be small but when you look at things through practical means, it’s actually quite major. Moreover, it appears like X is doing everything in its power to prevent users from making the mighty switch to other apps.
The reason behind the logic is simple. X wants to stop users from making the switch because such rivals are offering similar services or they might have some sort of competitive features arising that it feels can nullify the need of its own platform.
The strategy seems to be smart and again, it’s not a huge surprise for obvious reasons.
During the start of the year, reports were out and about linked to X battling links related to such competitors including top-of-the-line publishing platforms such as Instagram and Blusky. And if that was not enough, there were reports about delayed load timings for several links related to The New York Times.
This happens to be one reason why Elon Musk keeps getting bashed for the behavior and many demand answers for such behavior because punishing links through such means because Musk may have some rivalry linked to it is just not okay.
What is interesting is how the billionaire entrepreneur and owner of X failed to accept or reject the claims. Moreover, he just does not acknowledge the fact that certain websites are showing delays in terms of traffic diverted toward external sites.
So even if the link gets named across a post on the platform, it will cause a de-boosting effect when rival apps are considered.
Are many people surprised? Not really because Elon Musk is never famous for playing well or putting out offers that he thinks are a great means for promotion that’s free of cost through his apps.
However, it’s his publicity and reputation that really means the world, and it actually makes sense how it doesn’t reflect too well on providing the right type of competition for his app that has been speculated to offer everything soon.
Let’s not forget how X is gearing toward a launch of Substack which happens to be a part of the long type of content push that Musk has been dreaming about to ensure users don’t leave his platform and block out any other rival that chooses to intervene.
Now the question is whether or not the decision taken by Musk is a smart one or not?
Right now, it’s not hard to mention all of this. Yes, it’s on the verge of being extreme when compared to how classic apps continue to operate. Moreover, it’s similarly worth mentioning how Twitter has ended up struggling to produce profits. Therefore, the popularity was there but the success didn’t churn out to be much.
This is a clear indication of how X must adopt things in a different manner and turn out to be an app that’s more reliable and encases greater value.
Read next: Google's Stance on Age Verification Sparks Debate and a Hint of Irony
