Twitter has stopped showing adverts to some VIP users, according to a report from Re/code.
The tech news site claims that in an attempt to get its most valuable users to "stay engaged" with the social network, they are being given an ad-free experience.
Twitter, which is free to use, relies on advertising to drive revenue.
How adverts look in Twitter timelines:
It's not clear how Twitter determines users sufficiently valuable to not serve them adverts. Re/code reports, citing unnamed sources, that both "volume" and "reach" of tweets is a factor. Verification (the blue tick that celebrities, politicians, journalists, and other important users get) apparently isn't enough — I'm verified and I still see adverts in my timeline and across the site.
Some other journalists appear to be getting an ad-free Twitter experience.
—James Ball (@jamesrbuk) January 26, 2016
—Alex Hern (@alexhern) January 26, 2016
Business Insider has reached out to Twitter to ask about the criteria used, and will update this story when it responds. A company spokesperson told Re/code that "We’re constantly looking at constraints and adjustments to optimize which ads are shown and how often."
—Chris Owen (@wonky_donky) January 26, 2016