Direct Messaging API policy and limits

[YorkshirePudding]

The old DM endpoint docs state that account X can send DMs to account Y via the API if

• Y follows X or
• Y has already sent a message to X

The new DM endpoint docs instead state that “when a message is received from a user you may send up to 5 messages in response within a 24 hour window”.

Some questions:

1. Under the new policy, will I only be able to send DMs via the API during the 24 hour window? Will I no longer be able to send DMs freely to accounts that follow me?
2. What does the sentence “sending a 6th message within a 24 hour window or sending a message outside of a 24 hour window will count towards rate-limiting” in the new docs mean? What rate limit is it referring to? My understanding of the new policy is that I wouldn’t be able to send messages outside the 24-hour window in the first place so the term “rate-limiting” is confusing to me.
3. I did some testing using the new endpoints and found that the old, more permissive policy is still active (where I can freely send DMs to accounts that follow me). Can you confirm that the new endpoints are currently active under the old policy? Will it switch over to the new policy on June 19 when the old endpoints are shut down?

Thanks.

[YorkshirePudding]

This post from a Twitter rep in another thread suggests that the new “5 messages within a 24-hour window” policy is meant to simply provide accounts with additional DM-specific rate limit capacity in order to reply to DMs. The implication from the post is that accounts are allowed to DM their followers via the API outside of the 24-hour window. It’s just that such outside-the-window DMs will count against the overall 1000/day overall DM limit.

Can a representative from Twitter clarify?

[andypiper]

The new endpoint direct_messages/events/new endpoint implements the new adaptive rate limiting logic.

The key sentence in the docs may be this:

Each message received resets the 24 hour window and the 5 allotted messages.

So:

• user sends your app a Direct Message
• you respond with up to 5 Direct Messages before they respond
  • as soon as they do respond, you have up to another 5 Direct Messages you can send
  • if they do not respond, and you then send a 6th message, you’re using your account limit for the 24 hour period (which is 1000 Direct Messages on your account) so this counts against regular rate limiting.

Will I no longer be able to send DMs freely to accounts that follow me?

You can do so “freely” (within the automation rules and spam policies) but unless the user responds, each Direct Message that you send is part of your account’s overall daily quota.

Does that explanation help?

[YorkshirePudding]

That explanation does help thanks!

The point I was trying to clarify was whether or not we’re allowed to send any messages at all outside the 24-hour window. The answer is yes, up to the global 1000 DMs per day limit.

[andypiper]

That is exactly right. Glad to help!

[Osus]

Hi guys!
I have one doubt with these limites.
Do the limits apply on app scope or on account scope?
I mean, these limites apply to the TW app sending the messages or there are 1000 dm/day pero account using the same application?
Ahother one, is there a way to increase these limites? I mean, we work with brands and verified accounts. Do these limits apply for those accounts too or is there any way to ask for increasing them?

Thanks!