Twitter announced it would start charging for access to its API, which many transit and government agencies rely on to provide real-time service updates.
Elon Musk’s plan to start charging users of the Twitter application programming interface (API) could mean the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) and other transit agencies will lose the ability to post real-time transit updates on the platform, reports Skylar Woodhouse in Bloomberg CityLab.
“According to reporting by Wired, the lowest-cost access to Twitter’s API system could cost companies and public agencies that use it $42,000 a month, or more than $500,000 a year—” a significant amount for an agency already facing a $600 million deficit that is projected to grow to $3 billion in 2025.
The agency’s Twitter alerts temporarily went dark last weekend, but was later reinstated. “Twitter didn’t offer a time line for when older accounts would lose access, the agency said.” The Bay Area Rapid Transit District also had API access problems during the same time. An article in AMNY notes that other government agencies, such as the National Weather Service, were also affected by this weekend’s incident.
FULL STORY: Elon Musk’s Twitter Payment Plan Puts NYC Subway Alerts at Risk
Is Twitter Still an Effective Planning Tool?
Twitter has been a daily dose of drama and upheaval ever since Elon Musk offered to pay over $40 billion to buy the social media platform. Media outlets and public transit agencies had been abandoning the social media platform—should planners?
The Twitter Spat Heard 'Round the Planning World
It's understandable if you were too busy reveling in the holidays to catch the details of a controversy between Elon Musk and Jarrett Walker. The disagreement took on a life of its own on social media.
Milwaukee transit agency plans 25% service cuts
The MCTS system will have to make a difficult choice between service frequency and coverage.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
The state-sanctioned urbicide of Austin
People don’t kill cities. Freeways do.
US to reduce Colorado River water deliveries to Mexico
A new Colorado Treaty amendment reduces Mexico’s Colorado River water allocation by 250,000 acre feet.
5 New England states march closer to 800 megawatt wind energy project
Securing federal approval for the project may be complicated under the Trump administration, which has historically been hostile towards domestic wind power.
Baltimore to break ground on $50 million Transit Priority Project
The project will bring faster bus trips, safer streets and better bike connections to Baltimore.
Airbnb launches $250 million 'last-dollar financing' housing accelerator, makes first investment in Austin
The company will put $6.4 million towards affordable housing development in Texas’ capital.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
Eagle County Government
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
Nashville Planning Department
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello
Journal of the American Planning Association