Twitter to track users' apps

Twitter Inc. said it will start collecting lists of applications installed on users' mobile devices to help tailor the content it displays for members, including marketing messages.

The feature, called "app graph," will help provide more relevant advertising and improve suggestions on which accounts to follow, the San Francisco-based company said on its website yesterday.

While app graph will help to pull in more messages and other content to timelines, it won't collect information from within the apps, Twitter said.

"To help build a more personal Twitter experience for you, we are collecting and occasionally updating the list of apps installed on your mobile device so we can deliver tailored content that you might be interested in," the company said.

Twitter, under pressure from investors over concerns that user growth is slowing, is adding features to help it attract and keep new users. Twitter's monthly active user count rose 23 percent to 284 million in the third quarter, down from 24 percent growth the prior period.

Chief Executive Officer Dick Costolo has replaced several top lieutenants this year, including ousting his chief operating officer and appointing a new chief financial officer and head of product.

While the latest feature could trigger user concerns over privacy, Twitter said people can opt out of the tracking by going into app settings for Apple Inc. iPhones and smartphones powered by Google Inc.'s Android software.

Earlier this month, Twitter said it plans to roll out an "instant timeline" to let consumers see what's happening on the site without having to first follow people.

The company is also working on new mobile applications, executives said, and will simplify the sign-up process and better organize content around geography and events.