Twitter Lockouts

[#1]

Hi Team!

Please report any Twitter Lockouts below whether or not you are auto-retweeting with the Team or using EtsySocial. Tracking what's happening will be helpful to finding a solution.

In addition, I will be working with our app developer, to see if it is something the app is doing that's triggering the lockouts. And of course, if anyone has any ideas, please feel free to share!

Thanks Team!
Clarissa

[MartisanneHandmade]

I got locked out yesterday, for the first time in over a year I think , I auto tweet with Etsy Fu and retweet with Etsy Social, interestingly enough, my Etsy Social subscription ran out as I was locked out,not sure if that was coincidence.

My auto tweeting is set to tweet every 3 hours, and I also Tweet my Instagram posts which are about 2 to 5 times a day , my Instagram posts are frequently individual posts never repeated, I dont know if that helps with app problems as despite using the app this is the first time i have been locked out in a very long time.

[ldgrands]

I hadn't been locked out in quite a while, then two days ago I was locked out. I had not been using any of the Etsy Social features, just using Buffer to auto tweet. I had no problem accessing my account after a code was sent to my phone. Twitter helps drive traffic to my Etsy shop, so I hope Twitter resolves these issues soon. I'll continue to try to retweet those on the team.

[ManAndStone]

Hi Team!

Finally, some insight into the twitter lockouts. Recently Twitter updated their rules on automation. As it turns out, at the end of last year, they quietly began a crackdown on automated bot activity and in turn changed the rules unofficially on what was okay.

So basically our app was never broken just suddenly not welcomed!

Twitter has since broken their silence and issued an update to clarify their rules moving forward on automation and they have given developer of apps like ours a limited amount time to make changes and fall in line.

Essentially, it has to do with posting duplicate tweets accross mulitple twitter accounts in a high volume way (our retweeting). This is the fall out from of the election push back twitter got heat for.

Our developer and I are are in disscussion on what wiggle room there is for us to operate within the guidelines. I'm going to need few days to let it roll around my head! I will be back shortly!

Here is the updated language that affects us:

+++++++++++
Do not (and do not allow your users to) simultaneously post identical or substantially similar content to multiple accounts. For example, your service should not permit a user to select several accounts they control from which to publish a given Tweet.

This applies regardless of whether the Tweets are published to Twitter at the same time, or are scheduled/queued for future publication.

As an alternative to posting identical content, you can Retweet content from one account from the other accounts you wish to share that post from.

This should only be done from a small number of distinct accounts that you directly control.

Please note that bulk, aggressive, or very high-volume automated Retweeting is not permitted under the Automation Rules, and may be subject to enforcement actions.
+++++++++++

Here are links to some articles, if anyone what's to learn more:

https://mashable.com/2018/02/21/twitter-developer-rules-bots/#pp12VgJgXSq0

https://mashable.com/2018/02/21/twitter-lockout-conservative-users-bots/#QQS5Lo8olqqy

https://blog.twitter.com/developer/en_us/topics/tips/2018/automation-and-the-use-of-multiple-account...

[ldgrands]

Thanks, Clarissa. I had a feeling it was Twitter all along. Since I was locked out using Buffer exclusively to auto tweet, it seems to prove the point.

[BonnieLouLane]

NOT HAPPY! i've had company ... haven't even been on Twitter for over two weeks. I just did a new listing in my shop and started to Tweet it and found that I am locked out! It's been over two hours now ... still locked out; I can't get back in. Twitter has my home phone number. They said they would text to it. I cannot receive a text on my home hard-wired-into-the wall phone. They write that they will send me a code to type in via text. I wrote back and told them that I can't receive a text. I SO hate this!!! Why can't they EMAIL it? This is abominable!!! :( .... and WHY am I locked out when I haven't even been on Twitter!!!!

[BonnieLouLane]

Still locked out. I have had no resolution.

[SwirlingOrange11]

Thank You Clarissa, I got an email from Twitter letting me know as of March 23 the crackdown happens and could shut down accounts permanently so I will be manually retweeting until we hear from you.
I am now manually retweeting about every other day to make sure the team stays relevant and also using the emnttM hashtag along with etsymntt so I know who is active on twitter.
Maybe we could focus on Instagram for the time being? Anyway will be retweeting you all over the next few weeks on a manual basis looking for these tags #etsymntt & #emnttM

[BonnieLouLane]

I'm really frightened now. Twitter just reopened my account. I told them I haven't even been on TweetDeck tweeting for OVER TWO WEEKS! I guess I just got locked up due to team retweeting, which is really scary (tweeting my once-an-hour tweets that Twitter-Fu does for me). I just did a new listing of a bunny. I listed it with the hashtag etmnttM ... and maybe for now we only should do a little MANUAL tweeting amongst ourselves? I manually retweeted three other team members, and stopped. I'm really concerned. I don't want to be locked out permanently. This really isn't working ... is it!!!!

[MartisanneHandmade]

I haven't been locked out again, but I am not going to renew my Etsy Social subscription until it is all sorted,as I don't want to lose my twitter account altogether, I will retweet manually as and when I can, I tend to be on Instagram more than Twitter, maybe we could continue our Instagram hashtag and maybe promote someone elses shop twice a week by reposting one of their pics to get them in front of other peoples followers, how about a follow Friday on Insta ,even just mentions if you don't want to post others pics.

[BonnieLouLane]

Instagram may just be the way our team should go, Anne. I'm still trying to find out where I would see messages on Instagram. I see comments in connection with my photo posts, but I haven't found the place for messages not connected with a photo post.

[cardsbymormorjan]

Morning everyone. From reading your posts @SwirlingOrange @MartisanneHandmade and @BonnieLouLane I’m thinking maybe I should suspend my Etsysocial account for the time being. I also don’t want to get permanently locked out of Twitter because that’s what this team is all about? I’ll be tweeting and retweeting with the #etsymntt and #etsymnttM hashtags which I have been doing sporadically anyway. See you onTweetdeck everyone! Thanks for all your manual retweets so much appreciated. Looking forward to hearing the outcome of Clarissa’s researches. Thank you Clarissa for all your hard work.

[cardsbymormorjan]

By the way I haven been locked out for weeks since I deleted all my tinyurl tweets from Etsy social and posted new ones with the full url.

[AluraCrafts]

I have not been locked out for weeks, and I still retweet manually and like some posts to appear human. I have deactivated my etsy social accounte to-day because of what other team members are saying. Afraid I will be locked out permanently. Any ideas when we can get going again,

[SwirlingOrange11]

Hey all, I have been "manually" retweeting, should we resurrect the #emnttM hashtag until this is all sorted out? At least we will know who is manually retweeting if using this hashtag? I am in ... will start using #emnttM @swirlingorangeE this week and will manually retweet everyone who uses this tag as well as etsymntt ... holler if you are going to use the hashtag and i will add it to my twitter list which you can also follow

[cardsbymormorjan]

Hi Swirling,
I've been using #etsymnttM without much success maybe I got it wrong? I have been retweeting folk on Tweetdeck under this hashtag.
I'll defo do #emmnttM in future.
Without Etsysocial my visits have died!
any reciprocal help would be so wonderful. I have been looking at tweetdeck for EtsymnttM and cant see you there.
do I need to make a new column for #emmnttM?

[cardsbymormorjan]

Dear Swirling
Just looked at Tweetdeck and I see your #EmnttM column. Is the hashtag case specific?

[SwirlingOrange11]

Jan I think #emnttM is shorter so you can get more hashtags in your post. I will retweet both manually but am creating a list on my twitter account @swirlingorangeE labeled emnttM so you can follow that and i will add you to that list. I am watching twitter pretty close to see how this is working. From my understanding, some auto retweet programs are saying you can tweet the same tweet after 72 hours, but for now I am just watching. Let's use #emnttM as the manual tag for now and see if anyone else uses it?

So far it is:

@swirlingOrangeE
@MormorJan

[cardsbymormorjan]

thanks Swirling, I can see you have found me and thank you for the RTs. much appreciated. Now, where are you?

[SwirlingOrange11]

Jan, I am trying to see who is posting manually not using the tag and retweeting but hopefully using the short emnttM tag will make it faster. Hoping we get the app to work again. Pass on the hashtag if you get a chance :) At least for now, until Clarissa updates us.

[ldgrands]

@SwirlingOrange11 I've been using the wrong hashtag and will now use #emnttM. Please add me to your list. I retweet as often as I can. Thank you!

[AluraCrafts]

@Swirling, the same have been using wrong #.Just started using emnttM over weekend. Will continue until I hear more.

[SwirlingOrange11]

Heya all, I have added you to the #emnttM list on my @swirlingorangeE twitter so we can manually retweet while Clarissa tweaks the app:

@swirlingOrangeE
@MormorJan
@tappingramma
@LMcreation
@BonnieLouLane

Alura, what is your twitter name so I can add you to the list I have on my twitter account?

[CraftyMom75]

I am not currently locked out, but i am doing manual tweets and retweets. I had the wrong tag, so now I am corrected. My name is @angieshandmade1

[AluraCrafts]

Hi Swirling my tweeter name is @Walsh11Della

[ldgrands]

Hi, Swirling. Please add me!
@larisjewelrydes
TY!!