TweetDeck Now Paid And Turned Into X Pro, Makes Frustration

Tweetdeck is now X Pro and users have to pay. (Photo: screenshot/ary/voi.id)

TweetDeck, one of the most popular tools on platform X (formerly Twitter) since its launch in 2008. The app, provides bad news to users who usually use it - as it now pays to use it, and this tool has been renamed X Pro.

Users are now redirected to a paid subscription registration page when trying to access TweetDeck. This tool allows users to manage multiple Twitter accounts and view multiple timelines at once, and is very popular with social media managers and journalists.

Some frustrated users have expressed their dissatisfaction with this change on platform X, with one user calling it another 'Elon Musk's decision that no one actually asked for.'

Twitter bought London-based TweetDeck in 2011, with technology media estimating the purchase price at that time to be around $40 million. Since then, this tool has been available for free to users and has proven to be very popular, with an estimated 20 percent of X users using this service.

Last month, X announced that TweetDeck will only be available to account holders who have been'verified' starting this month. Now, users who try to access this service must also pay for the blue tick verification of X.

The annual cost for this verification reached 84 US dollars (Rp 1.2 million) in the United States and 100.80 pounds (Rp1.9 million) in the UK. Many users expressed their frustration at this change on platform X.

"TweetDeck is now paid, Elon Musk's real decision is not requested by anyone," tweeted one user. Another user added, "Ah, it's really good for Elon. Now TweetDeck is only for subscribers. Try making this even more unuser friendly. The less people here, the better it is, right?"

One user joked, "Going back to the Twitter website after using TweetDeck feels like watching the old content of the 4:3 format on wide TV."

The social media company, purchased by billionaire Musk last year, has been looking for ways to generate profits, including by laying off a number of employees and increasing paid subscriptions.

Last week, CEO Linda Yaccarino said the company was "almost" breaking even and would strengthen the workforce Musk has cut. Users who have been verified on X are mostly those who pay to get a blue tick, although Musk also provides this verification symbol as a reward to some people.