Cease-And-Desist From X Shuts Down Nitter And XCancel-Sites That Scraped And Mirrored Tweets

Nitter was an open-source project hosted on GitHub that described itself as a privacy-focused alternative to Twitter. The platform allowed users to view posts and other content from X without visiting its website or logging into its apps.

In 2024, Nitter announced it would be shutting down after X closed several key methods it used to access posts. However, the service relaunched in 2025. For related coverage, explore our detailed analysis on Technology and Digital Systems.

Background and Context

The cease-and-desist letter sent to Nitter accused it of unlawfully circumventing X’s systems to scrape X data and access “X accounts and session tokens in violation of X’s rules.”

Nitter’s developer noted that they have stopped development of the platform and taken it offline “for the time being,” and are seeking legal advice.

At the time of publishing, nearly all popular Nitter instances were down except for one hosted in Singapore. XCancel.com also posted a similar message about receiving a cease-and-desist letter from X Corp and stopping operations until further notice.

Nitter’s Developer Response

The shutdown of Nitter raises questions about the future of alternative social media platforms and their ability to circumvent mainstream platforms like X. It also highlights the ongoing tensions between tech giants and third-party developers who seek to access their data and services.

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Musk and X have not yet publicly commented on the shutdowns, but it is unclear if the billionaire will mention it at all. As the situation develops, we will provide updates on this story.

In 2024, the service confirmed it was shutting down after X closed several key methods it used to access posts, including a guest account feature that was being used to circumvent another technical change to the platform’s API.

The service, however, relaunched in 2025.

Nitter, a project that allowed users to view posts and other content from X without visiting its website or logging into its apps, was shut down on Tuesday after receiving a legal notice from the Elon Musk-owned social media platform.

Nitter was an open-source project hosted on GitHub that described itself as an “alternative Twitter front-end” that is focused on “privacy and performance.” Nitter’s website now displays a message noting that X Corp sent out a “cease and desist” letter on August 24, calling for a permanent takedown of Nitter,” and its various repositories.