Privacy-focused services Nitter and XCancel, which allowed users to view X posts without logging in, have shut down again following legal action from X over alleged violations involving access to platform data.
Nitter was an open-source project that provided an alternative way to browse public X posts without advertisements, tracking technologies or the official X interface. The Nitter project also supported community-run instances for users seeking alternative access.
X takes action against third-party access tools
Last month, X sent Nitter a cease-and-desist letter alleging unlawful use and circumvention of its API and associated data. X claimed the service scraped platform data and accessed accounts and session information in violation of its rules.
Nitter initially said it would continue operating after receiving legal advice, and both Nitter and XCancel briefly returned online in early September. The situation later changed, with the Nitter repository archived on GitHub and XCancel suspending its service again.
XCancel said the suspension stemmed from a new development in ongoing legal proceedings. Reports covering the dispute also tracked the services’ brief return and renewed shutdown, including coverage of the legal dispute.
A continuing debate over social media access
Nitter and XCancel became popular because they allowed people to read public X content without creating an account or using X’s official applications. Supporters viewed them as privacy-focused alternatives, while X has argued that unauthorised access to its platform data violates its rules.
The conflict follows earlier restrictions on third-party Twitter and X services. Ars Technica reported on previous changes that affected Nitter and other third-party platforms.
Users have continued discussing XCancel’s availability and suspension across online communities, including reports about its return and later shutdown from Reddit users and data preservation communities.
