[nailer]

> HN users can't read Twitter threads that way

This doesn’t seem correct. I can view all of these without a Twitter login. Compare this with nytimes, where a login is required but we still always post the canonical URL per the guideline.

> Plus this helps to reduce offtopic complaints in threads.

That can be a fixed with moderation and bans.

[dang]

That's why I said "threads". As far as I understand it, logged-out users can see the initial tweet at a link, but not the replies.

> That can be a fixed with moderation and bans.

That is an excessive view of what can be done with hard power!

[nailer]

That’s still inconsistent with the NYTimes is handled - people paste non login links as comments if they’re wanted - and makes the links less useful for people that do have Twitter accounts.

[dang]

I don't see any inconsistency. Users are asked to submit the original source as the top link. Workaround/archive URLs are welcome in the comments. We sometimes put such links in the toptext too. It works the same for any site.

[nailer]

There doesn’t seem to be a good reason to not apply the submission policy to the top text, for the same reason it’s applied to the link.

[dang]

The toptext is often used for archive links which allow users to read otherwise-paywalled articles.