Meltwater has licensed X data since 2010, utilizing multiple APIs to capture and display data across multiple areas of our product. To maintain that relationship and share X data with our clients, we must agree to X’s Terms of Service. Part of this agreement between X and Meltwater sets rules on the use cases allowed to access X via Meltwater.
This article will cover:
Approved Use Cases for X
Our agreement with X approves us serving Xcontent to customers for the following use cases:
Brand monitoring and analysis | Competitive monitoring and analysis | Industry monitoring and analysis |
Lead generation | Customer care | Consumer insights |
Content distribution | API distribution | Social publishing |
Social engagement | Anomaly detection | Social echo |
Influencer marketing |
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Prohibited Uses of X Data
In X's Developer Agreement, several behaviors are prohibited for all entities and individuals using X data. Unless explicitly approved otherwise by X in writing, No Customer may use or knowingly display, distribute, or otherwise make X Content, or information derived from X Content, available to any entity for the purpose of:
Conducting or providing surveillance or gathering intelligence, including but not limited to investigating or tracking X users or X Content;
Conducting or providing analysis or research for any unlawful or discriminatory purpose
Sensitive events (including but not limited to protests, rallies, security threats, or community organizing meetings)
Targeting, segmenting, or profiling individuals based on sensitive personal information, including their health (e.g., pregnancy), negative financial status or condition, political affiliation or beliefs, racial or ethnic origin, religious or philosophical affiliation or beliefs, sex life, or sexual orientation, trade union membership.
There are also additional restrictions and an approval process around supplying X content to ANY public sector/government customer. Meltwater needs to get approval for any Government or Public Sector end-user before they can access X data using our product, and that approval will hinge on risk factors like location, entity type, and proposed use case. These restrictions apply to national, state, local government entities along with public schools, universities, and affiliates.
For example, a local Police Force or a School’s Public Safety team would likely be prohibited from monitoring X mentions of protests and rallies surrounding social justice issues as it conflicts with Surveillance, Profiling, and Sensitive Events referenced in the earlier X Terms of Use.
X will assess each case on its merits, and determine if they approve the Government customer and their proposed use case.
Meltwater has multiple checks and balances in place to ensure that non-approved Government customers can not access full X content.
Our General Terms and Conditions include the below, informing all Meltwater customers of their obligations to X when using the Meltwater products:
Subject to the approval of X, Customer may receive content from X or post content to X (“X Content”) pursuant to this Agreement, and Customer represents that it has read, understands, and agrees to be bound by X's terms of service located at https://twitter.com/en/tos. Meltwater or X may terminate Customer’s access to X Content if Meltwater or X reasonably believes that Customer is violating X's terms of service.
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