Twitter admits to overstating its user base for last three years

Microblogging platform Twitter, in its Q1 2022 earnings release, said that it has been overcounting the number of users for the past three years due to a technical error involving linked accounts. The difference in user count ranged from 1.4 million to 1.9 million daily users between the period Q1 2019 to Q4 2021.

Explaining the reason behind wrong counting, Twitter said that it launched an account linking feature in March 2019 which allowed users with more than one account to link multiple accounts together in one user interface for ease of use.

“An error was made at that time, such that actions taken via the primary account resulted in all linked accounts being counted as mDAU. This resulted in an overstatement of mDAU from Q1 2019 through Q4 2021,” it said.

Although, the inflated figures don’t have a dramatic impact on the actual user base because Twitter reported that it now has 229 million daily users, still over 14 million, from the last quarter’s recast figures.

Earlier in 2017 as well the company had overcounted its MAUs by 1 to 2 million when its MAU base was over 300 million.

Twitter has reported a revenue of $1.2 billion, which is up by 16% YoY. Of which, revenue from advertising rose 23% (YoY), reaching $1.11 billion.

The company has reported a net income increase from $68 million in Q1 2021 to $513 million this quarter. Net income of $513 million includes a pre-tax gain of $970 million from the sale of MoPub for $ 1.05 billion and income taxes related to the gain of $331 million.

Earlier this week, Twitter had accepted Elon Musk’s $44 billion buyout offer. The deal is likely to close later this year. 

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