For the second time in a week Twitter has stopped a payments service that uses its platform, killing off the Flattr favourite-to-tip micro-donation system.
Swedish start-up Flattr lets users set up a monthly donation pot from which they can tip content creators such as writers and musicians. At the end of each month the pot is split evenly between however many creators were tipped.
Last month the firm integrated with social media sites, meaning that users can tip people and work they like simply by clicking the 'favourite', 'like' or 'star' buttons on platforms like YouTube, SoundCloud, Instagram and Twitter. Flattr takes a 10% cut of the money donated.
However, Twitter has ordered the firm to stop letting people tip by favouriting tweets, deciding that the service violates its API terms, which state that "you cannot sell or receive compensation for Tweet actions or the placement of Tweet actions on your Service. This includes compensation attached to a Tweet Action sent to either a service or through a service to another user."
Flattr says that it understands the rule and has tried to arrange a compromise - offering to forgo its cut of tips - but Twitter has stood firm.
The move comes days after Twitter put an end to an in-stream payments service from start-up Ribbon within hours of it launching.