Nitter no more? X sends in the lawyers to shut down open source project

X, the social media mouthpiece of free speech absolutist Elon Musk, has reportedly sent legal takedown notices to Nitter and related service XCancel over alleged data scraping and rules violations. XCancel's home page now contains some minimal text stating: "On Monday 24th August at 8 PM EST, we received at [sic] letter from X …

[Uncle Slacky]

The web, uh, finds a way...

This site still works:

https://twitterwebviewer.com/

[Lon24]

Re: The web, uh, finds a way...

The major problem wasn't Elon trying to stop it - but the bots that would try and use any open Nitter instance to crawl X/Twitter. I suspect that were AI trainers as they stupidly would high speed scrape which would otherwise bring the server down. Of course - it could have been Elon himseff effectively DDoS-ing Nitter.

[retiredFool]

Re: The web, uh, finds a way...

Most likely. I do find it ironic though that X, FB, etc all the folks that are scraping the world for their pet AI find it objectionable when someone else accesses their property without permission. Hope a judge points it out to them and tells them to pay legal costs to nitter for the inconvenience and a cool billion for pain and suffering. But who am I kidding, leon just bought the judge a nice home somewhere. I hear Thomas is cheap.

[ecofeco]

Re: The web, uh, finds a way...

This.

[SundogUK]

Re: The web, uh, finds a way...

X has rules. If you want access you obey the rules. If scraping was illegal, X, Met et al would be getting sued into oblivion. Doesn't look like that is happening.

[Pussifer]

Re: The web, uh, finds a way...

Unless you have a government behind you, good luck suing Meta, X, Alphabet, etc.

[Jamie Jones]

Re: The web, uh, finds a way...

My websites have rules. If you want access you obey the rules.

But they don't.

[My other car WAS an IAV Stryker]

Re: The web, uh, finds a way...

Axiom: Any rule/law you can't/won't enforce effectively does not exist.

[heyrick]

Re: The web, uh, finds a way...

"X has rules. If you want access you obey the rules."

Hard downvote because some places seem to think that posting stuff on their social media is acceptable (like "we'll be closed tomorrow"). I'm not in a position to say don't, they're not in a position to understand why not, and ever since the punchy-face-idiot took over it's now often hidden behind a log in prompt. Screw anybody (with a pile driver) who thinks I'm going to sign up with a service owned by a wannabe nazi just to check if/when my local tea room may be closed. If I had my way, I wouldn't go near it at all. But some things are beyond my control.

[Goodwin Sands]

Re: The web, uh, finds a way...

>problem wasn't Elon - but the bots would try and use any open Nitter instance

That was the issue two years ago and twitter/X put a stop to it be by ending non-account access. So nitter then had to, and does, use actual accounts. So if scraping by bots were the issue now, it'd be just a case of blocking those accounts.

What's happening now feels more like an act of spite.

[MachDiamond]

Re: The web, uh, finds a way...

"What's happening now feels more like an act of spite."

So, Elon in a nutshell.

[Stork]

Re: The web, uh, finds a way...

What a pedoguy

[Taliesinawen]

Re: The web, uh, finds a way...

twitterwebviewer.com: Like most websites, we may collect certain technical information automatically, including:

IP address (anonymized)

Browser type and version

Device information

Pages visited and time spent on our site

Referring website addresses

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: The web, uh, finds a way...

It's already gone.

[Kurgan]

Reject X

I deleted my account a long time ago, I don't access its content. The same is true for Meta. simple as that.

[blu3b3rry]

Re: Reject X

I didn't delete my account, but left it there in the event anyone wanted to steal the handle (including all the bots which still seem to be increasing in number).

There seemed to be precious little of value on the place before Elmo bought it, and it's only gotten worse since with all the weird bullshit that appears in the "for you" section. I would imagine Facebook is even worse but happily got rid of my account over six years ago, and haven't missed it one jot.

[FIA]

Re: Reject X

I didn't delete my account, but left it there in the event anyone wanted to steal the handle

I did exactly the same as that, for exactly those reasons. I wonder how many other accounts on there are just zombie placeholders for identity theft prevention?

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Reject X

I created an account there back in 2011 to follow the Reg SPB when they came to Darwin to follow the solar challenge down to Adelaide.

Still recall one of their first tweets.

"In Oz for four days, and already we hate Telstra." - @regspb 16 October 2011

Now I mainly just go there to see footage of russian oil refineries and Wildberries/Ozon warehouses exploding.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Reject X

I deleted my account. I'm not so deluded to think that I'm anyone important, and if someone DID want to imitate me, they could create a similar account with just one character difference, or an added digit.

Besides, I *am* deluded enough to think that my posts *were* important fountains of knowledge, so I didn't want to continue gifting X with their presence :-)

[elsergiovolador]

Re: Reject X

If one finds deleting account too boring, try to report Russian terrorist propaganda that will inevitably be shoved into your feed. Their mods will shut you down quickly.

[Andy Non]

Re: Reject X

I opened an account on X a year or two ago to see what all the fuss was about, but my feed was mostly just an open sewer of sh1t, so I deleted the account. Can't say I miss it and have no desire to access content on there via third parties either.

[Goodwin Sands]

Re: Reject X

Which is exactly what is so good about nitter. It takes all the horror out of using twitter/X. All you see are the chronological tweets of individual users.

It's a huge pity that a nitter style interface isn't the official interface to twitter/X.

[the-it-slayer]

Re: Reject X

Exactly how Twitter used to be. I adored the hashtag feature as well that has been killed off as well in-favour of AI slop.

I used Nitter to read certain accounts and had around 10-15 of them bookmarked. Shame. The road to social media death cannot come soon enough.

[Jimjam3]

Re: Reject X

Agreed, withdrew from FRIENDFACE years ago, didn’t join X nor Whatsrap and now thinking of ditching YouTube. These big sites are filling up with shite.

Might start going back to the local library (if the council doesn’t close it first!).

[Andy Non]

Re: Reject X

You will be able to read the latest paperback novels... written by AI. ;-)

[Jimjam3]

Re: Reject X

Noooooo!

[Jamie Jones]

Re: Reject X

I recently discovered that by virtue of where I live (Swansea, South Wales), I have free unrestricted access to https://www.pressreader.com/ by logging in with my local library ID.

I didn't have a local library ID, so created one online at Swansea councils website, and got the access immediately. All the print newspapers and magazines in PDF form - much nicer to read than the monstrous web site versions (Do online newspapers hold competitions for the worst website?)

Maybe worth checking if your council has the same scheme?

[Bebu sa Ware]

<A> sits awkwardly alongside Musk's <B>

A tautology pretty much for any values of A and B.

Of course some values of B are largely inadmissable when said to be possessed by Musk like 'humility' or even 'veracity' but perhaps could be used ironically.

Why does he even care ? Isn't X just his personal brain fart platform that he shares with his fanatics and fellow Roman saluters ?

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: <A> sits awkwardly alongside Musk's <B>

Its funny, but also sad, that there are at least 7 El Reg readers who -- even now - don't realise what Musk truly is. They probably think Trump is a genius and great businessman too!

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: <A> sits awkwardly alongside Musk's <B>

>at least 7 El Reg readers who -- even now - don't realise

But you of course do. You are clever.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: <A> sits awkwardly alongside Musk's <B>

Yes, I do. As does anyone with an IQ over 50.

[The Central Scrutinizer]

So people have trouble accessing X?

I don't see a problem there at all.

[Anonymous Coward]

Accessing X ANONYMOUSLY. No IP tracking, no targeted ads

[Lon24]

I set up a personal Nitter instance. I had quit Twitter when it went all algorithmic long before Elon. I wanted to follow some nutcases to get a window on how the MAGA crowd think (or think they think). It got so bad (badder than bad) and you had to frequently update as Zadeus outwitted the latest X block that I gave up two years ago. Not missed one iota not even the laughter at the blatant stupidity of creating desperate conspiracies to explain why it was reality that was fake.

My Nitter website is inactive but I really can't be bothered to see if it would stilll work.

[Jedit]

I still don't see a problem there. What's left to see on the Nazi hellsite?

[Anonymous Coward]

"Plenty of organizations...

...continue to post on X, but accessing those posts without an X account has become an order of magnitude more difficult"

So we all have to sign up to X to read UK govt ministerial pronouncements then?

No thanks.

[Dan 55]

Re: "Plenty of organizations...

Any government department (central, regional, local), any public service, and any MP in any remaining democratic country should have dropped X no later than one month after Musk's first awkward wave and then the media would have followed them to wherever they went, however pretending it didn't happen and keeping the network effect going was apparently the preferred option.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: "Plenty of organizations...

Dear downvoters, please explain why in a democracy, governments should continue to post on a closed system run by a Nazi?

[Flocke Kroes]

Re: "Plenty of organizations...

I hope plenty of organisations will decide that the reduced audience makes posting on X too much effort for the return.

[jiho]

Re: "Plenty of organizations...

Unfortunately many mainstream news media quote those posts in important stories. Which incentivizes the practice.

[MiguelC]

Musk's own proclamations about free speech

It's all about his own free speech, and is only valid for himself. All the others must obey.

[Jedit]

Re: Musk's own proclamations about free speech

Always the way with fascists. I came here to post that myself.

[FIA]

"Hey... Grok... explain where your training data came from....."

[Anonymous Coward]

If TPB can be blocked so should X be

TPB was blocked for potentially breaking copyright law, yet X provides a platform for far-right terrorists. Let's ban it, sure VPNs get around it, but the knuckle-draggers will give it up.

[SundogUK]

Re: If TPB can be blocked so should X be

X provides a platform for people you disagree with. Not the same thing. But you know that.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: If TPB can be blocked so should X be

Don't even pretend it's like that.

Both "sides" aren't equal. The "radical left" want us to have healthcare, a decent minimum wage, and decent local infrastructure. The "radical right" want to deport or kill anyone who isn't white, make being gay or trans illegal, turn the country into a dictatorship, whilst Trumps gestapo runs the streets outside the law. All the time, giving all our money to the billionaires.

As for "X" - it says HEAPS about you that you equate hate speech with "just people you disagree with"

I disagree with people who love Justin Biebers music - I have no desire to block them.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: If TPB can be blocked so should X be

So that's quite the gaslighting for straight up terrorism?

[Taliesinawen]

Re: If TPB can be blocked so should X be

> .. yet X provides a platform for far-right terrorists ..

FFS, this fapping off to Musk is becoming tedious :o

[DS999]

Screw Musk

He thinks he should be able to scrape the entire web for his Mechahitler AI, but sends out the legal eagles to stop others doing it to him. I sure hope Nitter's/Xcancel's lawyers highlight that to the judge and ask for an injunction against Musk's legal threats. Can't have it both ways, either everyone can scrape or no one can.

[Anonymous Coward]

Social Media is…

Thinking a full septic tank makes a great swimming pool.

[Roland6]

Truth deflection by X

If I have understood the story correctly, X is in breech of GDPR, by not securing personal data and thus permitting the style of data breech being exploited by Nitter. In typical US fashion rather than address the insecure code and functional behaviour problem, they resort to the courts…

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Truth deflection by X

Might not count if it has to do with content they are already stuffing into search engines.

[Taliesinawen]

Free speech absolutist Elon Musk

Do tell who or what gets to decide what is legitimate free speech. The FBI, DOJ, DHS and DOJ who had fortnightly meetings with Twitter, Facebook (and others) to decide what accounts to ban and see peoples private msgs. This ceased when Musk bought Twitter. Hence the much opprobrium Musk is subjected to in the media.

> Nitter provided a way for users to read posts on X without requiring an account. There was no JavaScript or ads

According to Grok, Nitter is funded by the European Commission's Next Generation Internet programme ;)

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Free speech absolutist Elon Musk

Seriously, have you forgotten all the exposes of Musk deleting/filtering stuff on the behest of Trump?

You are really deluded.

The argument "who decides" is a transparent slippery-slope fallacy used to dodge accountability for platform safety.

By this exact logic, should society not "decide" to ban child exploitation, CSAM, or terrorist recruitment material either?

We have centuries of legal and democratic precedent separating a standard "difference of opinion" from speech that inflicts direct, objective harm, such as fraud, perjury, or incitement.

Furthermore, the idea that the tech world has entered a golden age of unmoderated free speech under figures like Musk or Trump is a complete myth. Look at the actual terms of service and behavior: Trump’s Truth Social explicitly reserves the right to ban content it deems "objectionable" - and has repeatedly banned parody accounts or users criticizing its leadership.

Meanwhile, X routinely complies with government censorship demands globally while aggressively launching antitrust lawsuits against private companies that simply exercise their own free speech right to choose where they advertise.

Private platforms are not the government; they are private properties. They moderate content because unchecked vitriol ruins the user experience and drives away the revenue that keeps the servers running. Hiding behind the "who decides" argument isn't a defense of liberty - it is just a shield to protect targeted harassment, peddled by the very people who censor others the second they control the delete button.

[FIA]

Re: Free speech absolutist Elon Musk

The FBI, DOJ, DHS and DOJ who had fortnightly meetings with Twitter, Facebook (and others) to decide what accounts to ban and see peoples private msgs. This ceased when Musk bought Twitter.

Evidence?

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Free speech absolutist Elon Musk

Evidence? They don't have evidence. Their evidence is that's what Musk/Trump/Fox says.

It's a cult.

[FIA]

Re: Free speech absolutist Elon Musk

I know... one of my friends has sadly become a conspiracy nut... I just type on here what I keep asking him for.... I don't know what else you can do really?

[Bitbeisser]

Who hasn't realized by now what kind of a hypocrite and slime bag the Muskrat is needs to seek some serious mental health support....

[Cliffwilliams44]

Apples and Toe Jam

I take issue with the juxtaposition of free-speech vs someone stealing from X. That is what this is, theft of X corp's product. If you do not want to sign up for an X account, then don't!

[Roland6]

Re: Apples and Toe Jam

There has been no theft !

It seems everything Nitter does is via the official Xitter interfaces, which do not need a Xitter user account to use - and hence their usage isn’t bound by the X terms of service for users/customers.

As I said before Xitter can fix this by improving the security of their service, instead they choose to spend on lawyers and court time…

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Apples and Toe Jam

Cliffwilliams44 & Roland6 you are both wrong.

As has been stated above nitter had to switch to using actual twitter accounts 2 years ago after twitter blocked non-account access.

[the Jim bloke]

The purpose of Social Media

..is to keep stupid people away from the real web.

an unintended consequence of that, is because stupid people are the favoured prey of malicious businesses and manipulative politicians, social media has become the most prominent and visible facet of the web.

Now, governments, schools, charities and organisations are using social media as their primary point of interaction, which just legitimises the platforms despite their blatant failings.