This is a notice that your OAuth token for Followers Autoresponder/Auto DM has been suspended from interacting with the Twitter API.
On August 26th around 8pm where have received email from Twitter that our API key is temporary suspended.
This is a notice that your OAuth token for Followers Autoresponder/Auto DM has been suspended from interacting with the Twitter API.
Please make sure that your application follows Twitter's API Terms of Service.
It definitely surprised us receiving such email for our app running since 2011. We kept and keep our application in compliance with Twitter terms and condition, but apparently Twitter found something that they suspect needs to be changed.
In fact we have received 2 emails at the same moment and another our application key was suspended for the same reason. The only difference we suspended ourselves that application in 2013 as we knew that automatic following is not allowed, and that service was suppressed and not used for more than 2 years. Not sure what was the reason for suspending it by Twitter, but it clearly shows that all these actions on Twitter end were automatic and not human.
We raised 2 tickets to Twitter support on August 26th: 20735437 and 20737453 , as well as raised question on Twitter forum https://twittercommunity.com/t/oauth-token-for-my-application-has-been-suspended/51071. When tickets were raised the feedback on the page stated it usually takes 2 business days to get support team involved.
Thanks!
Your request has been submitted to Twitter. We are usually able to respond within a few days, but some issues may take longer.
Please check your email inbox for an email from Twitter Support. If you don't see one, try checking your email's spam and trash folders.
We also tweeted to Twitter @support to get their attention on our issue, but so far no resonse.
Update: August 27th
We received reply on Twitter forum, but nothing helpful: https://twittercommunity.com/t/oauth-token-for-my-application-has-been-suspended/51071/2?u=vicconsult
Unfortunately we can't comment on individual cases here, for privacy reasons. The correct approach would be to follow up with the platform support team directly (which you've done, by opening a ticket - I'll ask them to review).
After reading several times Twitter's API Terms of Service, we did some modifications on our website as follows:
- Changed wordings. For example, instead of "Twitter Auto DM" now we state "Auto DM for Twitter"
- Added Privacy Policy
- Removed image showing real example of automated DM and how person responded treating it as sent manually.
But at this point we are not aware of the real reason for such actions from Twitter.
Update: August 28th
We tweeted again to @Twitter and @Support to get their attention, so far no response.
@Twitter @Support, it is almost 48 hours since we raised ticket #20737453 and no one yet responded.
— Support @vicconsult (@vicconsulting) August 28, 2015
@twitterapi, could you please take a look on our issue ( ticket 20737453 ) We raised this ticket 48 hours ago and so far no single response.
— VIC Consulting & SMO (@vicconsult) August 29, 2015
It is Friday and we are entering a weekend - will Twitter support team handle tickets over the weekend?
We had similar situation in 2013 and it took a week to get reply from Twitter and resolve the issue. We hope this time it will be shorter, or at least not longer.
Update: August 30th
We approached Twitter API via [email protected] asking to look into our issue. So far no reply.
Update: August 31st
Another reminder sent to twitter support(s) at 2pm EST
@twitterapi @support @twitter I'm running out of ideas how your support can be engaged. 5 days since this ticket was raised ticket 20737453
— VIC Consulting & SMO (@vicconsult) August 31, 2015
We also sent a direct message to the person on twitter who answered our forum post here: https://twittercommunity.com/t/oauth-token-for-my-application-has-been-suspended/51071/2?u=vicconsult , who wrote he asked support team to take a look into our issue.
6pm EST got reply to my DM, so far this is the only person answered to my enquiry.
I understand from the platform support team that you've been notified of the issues. ......
11pm EST: We decided to raise another type of ticket: Lost Access : 20945154
We have received your request regarding your API key access and will get back to you as soon as possible. Thanks for your patience!
We really hope that one will get faster response.
Update: September 1st
We have received a first response to our trouble ticket. We are working with Twitter to understand what the issue is.
9pm EST: Unfortunately not much progress today. We did receive first reply from Twitter, but it was not the answer to our question why they suspended the access. In fact it was question to us why they suspended our application second time and see it repeated (first time was in 2013). The resons from 2013 is no longer there, it is not repeated. It is hard to believe but this is what happening.
Current Twitter automation rules for direct messaging (https://support.twitter.com/articles/76915#Direct-Messages) state:
Automated Direct Messages
With express user consent, automation of Direct Messaging is permitted. If your application sends or facilitates automated Direct Messages, users must request or otherwise indicate an intent to send or receive Direct Messages in advance. Authenticating into an app is not sufficient user consent.
Reading that I dont see any issue with our application. Our website clearly and many times and in different ways explains what our service is and how it works. When user signs in he know what the service does. Then user pays for the service, and then user provided the messages to be sent. Can it be that after all the user had no idea what he signed for, paid for and provided messages for? Even without common sense it is pretty obvious.
It is also hard to understand what their (Twitter support) agenda is. If they want applications to comply with their terms, why not to clearly specify what is wrong allowing developers fixing the problem. Sending generic emails and asking historical questions doesnt help to resolve the problem. All that makes me think the agenda is different. And this is not only my opinion, many similar concerns were raised on twitter's forum. Was something done there? No. Still the same generic automatic emails, making hard time to average develpper, putting out of business many good services, leaving just big ones, charging more and giving less. I know Twitter as innovative company, promoted them and used them as example in many places and forums. And I really hope I was not wrong, and I still belive they are.
In our reply to Twitter platform operations we explained what our app does, explained why it was suspended 2 years ago and asked again for some hints why it was suspended now. And we really hope we will get the reply faster this time.
In our additional reply (actually we replied a few times today to the same and the only email) we emphesized the importance and impacts of such move from Twitter side, and asked to reply ASAP.
Update: September 2nd
No even single reply from Twitter to our 3 email sent yesterday. We sent another email today as well as tweeted to twitter support and api platform.
@twitterapi @Support yesterday I received 1st reply on case 20735437, after waiting 5 days. I replied 3 times. Should I wait another 5 days?
— VIC Consulting & SMO (@vicconsult) September 2, 2015
Hope it will not take another 5 days to get another reply with 0 information. All that could be resolved within hours assuming we need to do some modifications.
Update: September 3rd
Update: September 4th We sent another email to Twitter support (on top of yesterday's email) asking to enable our API before the labor day long weekend starts.
Update: September 5th We sent again email asking to look into our issue. As expected no reply. Since this is long weekend in the US (Labor day), I'm doubt anyone from Twitter will reply in the next few days.
Update: September 8th We another email from Twitter support pointing to the places on our website where we supporting mass unfollow and follow. These places were removed and Twitter enabled our API access.
Thank you all for being patient and welcome back to be our active customers and Twitter professionals.