Twitter Reverses Course on Emergency and Transit Alerts

Twitter has restored free access to its API for verified government and publicly-owned services that use the tool for "critical purposes" such as emergency notifications, transportation updates, and weather alerts. The social media giant had previously shut off its free API, causing problems for public institutions that depend on the functionality. Twitter had outlined a three-tier pricing strategy for its API in March, but this latest move is an acknowledgment that the strategy creates problems, particularly for governments eager to provide vital information through as many channels as possible.