Twitter is cutting ties with all of its data partners, including Japan-based NTT and UK-based DataSift, in order to distribute Twitter data on its own.
Twitter usually sells its tweet data to marketing and advertising agencies that look to gain insights into consumer conversations, with Twitter partnered with data resellers to help it resell its tweet data, which in turn helps the microblogging site’s revenue.
Twitter previously acquired its data partners, Gnip, to bring the data-selling business in-house.
With Gnip, Twitter is expected to establish direct relationships with data customers which will help the company gain deeper understanding of customer needs, and get direct feedback for the product roadmap.
It aims to work more closely with data customers to provide solutions to brands that are dependent on Twitter data.
Sources familiar with the matter told Re/code that the microblogging site alerted its partners about the breakup last year.
Gnip said: "After that transition is completed, companies using raw Twitter data for commercial use – to build products, to analyze internally, and to serve other commercial purposes – will need to have a direct relationship with Twitter."
