‘Not in business of getting around platform rules’, Twitter on Google, Apple app store cut

Google and Apple have come under fire from app developers over the controversial 30% tax. Here is what Twitter thinks about the policies as it aims to begin monetising its platform through Super Follow.

Days after the deadly January insurrection, Paxton announced an investigation into Twitter and four other major technology companies for what he called “the seemingly coordinated de-platforming of the President.” (REUTERS)

Twitter is taking a cue from Instagram and TikTok to build a community of content creators. The efforts include a new “Super Follow” feature that will allow users to monetise their content, including bonus tweets and newsletters. A possible roadblock for Twitter is likely to be the 30% cut levied by Google and Apple on their app stores.

During a podcast session with The Verge, Kayvon Beykpour, head of consumer product, shared his thoughts on the controversial app store tax.

“The way I would think of this in the context of Super Follows where we're building this layer that didn't exist before — even if that $10 comes down to $7 because of a 30 per cent fee, that's still $7 more than you've been able to make on Twitter than before…,” Beykpour said. “We're not in the business of getting around platform rules.”

He said that the company had no intention of innovating around the payment flow. He added that Twitter wanted the creators to make money from the audience.

Twitter is taking a cue from Instagram and TikTok to build a community of content creators. The efforts include a new “Super Follow” feature that will allow users to monetise their content, including bonus tweets and newsletters. A possible roadblock for Twitter is likely to be the 30% cut levied by Google and Apple on their app stores.

During a podcast session with The Verge, Kayvon Beykpour, head of consumer product, shared his thoughts on the controversial app store tax.

“The way I would think of this in the context of Super Follows where we're building this layer that didn't exist before — even if that $10 comes down to $7 because of a 30 per cent fee, that's still $7 more than you've been able to make on Twitter than before…,” Beykpour said. “We're not in the business of getting around platform rules.”

He said that the company had no intention of innovating around the payment flow. He added that Twitter wanted the creators to make money from the audience.|#+|

“We'd rather minimise as much effort as we can around the table stakes of facilitating payments so that we can spend our energy on innovating for creators and for super fans of the creators,” he explained.

Google and Apple have come under fire from app developers and regulators over various issues, including the controversial 30% tax. Top platforms such as Spotify and Epic Games have taken legal routes to challenge the alleged monopoly.

When you take what we earn, you don't grow together.
You grow at our cost.
Young co's seek tax rebates & holidays from governments. And Google takes all this money spent by Indians on other Indian's apps to offshores.
Depriving us of our capital investments, jobs & growth. https://t.co/SUEfZuefq1

— Vijay Shekhar Sharma (@vijayshekhar) October 5, 2020

Apple appears to have softened its position on the cut it takes on the in-app purchases. The company in December last year announced an App Store Small Business Programme to offer a reduced commission.

Google's app store policies have also been challenged in India. After a backlash by Indian developers, Google was forced to defer its Play Store billing policy in the country to March 2022.