Twitter Puts its Foot Down

One of the top social-networking sites, Twitter, has recently posted some new guidelines for app developers.  The post on twitter.com found here, still says you can feel free to use the terms “TW” or “Twit”. Gee thanks!

But there is a “Don’t” list, too.  Among the no-no’s is “Don’t use Tweet in the name of your application if used with any other platform” among many others in the don’t list.

So what does that mean for your favorite alt social network app?

The post deals with guidelines in using “Twitter” trademarks. Hootsuite and Tweetdeck both allow users to post to other sites besides twitter.  These other social media sites include: Facebook,  MySpace, Linked In, Google Buzz and Foursquare. So then Tweetdeck users, they are currently breaking the rules.  Pocket-Link.com suggests that either Tweetdeck will have to drop the support of the other social sites or be grandfathered in somehow.

This isn’t the first time that a very popular twitter application has made a name change. Earlier in the year Android  twitter app Twidroid, changed the spelling of it’s name from Twidroid to Twidroyd as a precautionary measure because LucasArts holds the trademark to the name “Droid”.

Don’t be surprised if your favorite apps undergo a name change!