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Privacy Guide2026-08-26·Digital Footprint Health Team

Read vs Write: Why Reports Are Free But Deletion Costs

Twitter APIread APIwrite APIAPI permissions

Understanding API permissions explains why we offer free privacy reports but charge for deletion services. It's not arbitrary pricing — it's based on the technical and legal realities of API access.

Read-Only API (Free Reports)

  • Reads your tweet archive data
  • No modifications to your account
  • Low risk to Twitter's infrastructure
  • Can be done locally on your device
  • Free to offer because it costs us nothing extra

Write API (Paid Deletion)

  • Modifies your account (deletes tweets)
  • Requires authentication and authorization
  • Rate-limited by Twitter (max 300 actions/hour)
  • Higher risk of account flags or suspension
  • Costs us in API fees and infrastructure

The Technical Reality

Twitter's API has strict rate limits. Deleting 10,000 tweets at the maximum rate takes over 33 hours. This is why we use automation tools that respect rate limits while ensuring complete deletion.

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Published on 2026-08-26. Last updated 2026-08-26.