X forbids displaying content on the web

X, formerly twitter, introduced a “prohibition on I-Framing” in its Developer Terms. Previously, users and developers could incorporate content from X on their websites but it is now forbidden to incorporate content “within an iframe, inline frame, or any similar embedding mechanism”.

Ever since Elon Musk purchased X, its API has become more limited and very restrictive, in favour of a monetization model. Before that, it was celebrated for its transparency and reliability for academic research and journalists.

Iframes and embeds are part of the main building blocks of the web. They allow to display content from a webpage within another one. Iframes and embeds have been a major source of traffic and popularity for X and its users. Being able to display content from X on news websites has also been important in whistleblowing harmful behaviours. The introduction, if applied as it is, would represent a major shift in its place in public discourse.