Twitter has tightened the access it allows the ¼ million apps that have been developed using its API. From 31st August 2010 all applications are required to use OAuth – technology that enables apps to access Twitter users’ accounts on their behalf without asking directly for your password. This means that apps may no longer store user passwords, meaning that they will not work if you change your password and some will not work now until you re-authorise them directly. From now on, users’ authorised apps will be listed at http://twitter.com/settings/connections.
The microblogging service has also announced that its long-awaited link-shortening service, t.co, will be rolled out in the coming weeks. t.co links will feature the original domain and partial url, making the source of shortened links more apparent before they are followed, as well as checking the linked-to site for malware before directing you. Users who have opted-in for t.co will receive the service first, with the remainder of Twitter users being granted access by the end of the year, by which time all shortened links on Twitter will be wrapped with t.co urls. t.co will appear differently on mobile. Twitter will be collecting all data from followed t.co links, in the interests of “provid[ing] better and more relevant content to you over time.”
