Twitter to give Elon Musk access to data on bots
What's the story
Elon Musk's $44 billion bid to acquire Twitter has hit several snags since April but is on the verge of a breakthrough. The microblogging platform is preparing to share raw internal data dubbed "firehose" API with the billionaire, according to The Washington Post. The move is seen as an attempt by the company to bring the deal back on track.
Context
Why does this story matter?
The Musk-Twitter saga has gone through more twists and turns than one could have anticipated. If Twitter goes through with sharing its firehose API with Musk, it can potentially set the stage for a climax. It can also force Musk to honor his part of the deal after sharing the data. As it stays, the dramatic acquisition is nowhere near its end.
Bots
Musk put the deal on hold after Twitter's bot estimation
To recall, the Musk-Twitter saga took a U-turn after a filing by the social media platform which estimated the number of fake/spam accounts to be less than 5%. The billionaire took offense to the estimation and put the deal on hold. Since then, Musk has been pushing Twitter to give him the requisite data so that he can conduct his own survey on bots.
Accusation
Musk accused Twitter of breaching data share agreement
Twitter's reported decision to share its firehose API comes in the backdrop of Musk's threat to terminate the takeover bid. The Tesla CEO accused the social media site of breaching the April agreement to share information on bots. Firehose API contains every tweet as is posted and is one of the closely held resources of Twitter. Sharing that with Musk could solve the issue.
Data
Firehose API has the potential to alleviate Musk's concerns
The firehose API shows what a user would see if they follow every account on Twitter. It could be a valuable raw material to conduct a full-fledged study on automated accounts. However, the sheer volume of data might turn out to be overwhelming and would take significant time and resources. On the other hand, it can potentially force Musk's hand to complete the deal.