Recent modifications to Slack’s Terms and Conditions are poised to have significant implications for marketers. These changes, introduced last month, restrict third-party applications from bulk accessing or storing chat data on Slack.
Industry experts suggest that the driving force behind these adjustments is Slack’s desire to limit the use of message data for training large language models (LLMs). Under the new terms, applications not found in the Slack Marketplace will be constrained to just one API request per minute.
Consequently, third-party analysis tools that many companies depend on, such as brand sentiment analysis platforms or keyword search engines, may suffer from decreased efficiency. This could negatively impact marketing operations, as these tools are vital for analyzing data and responding to trends in real-time.
Moreover, applications designed to automate marketing workflows based on Slack activity—like notifications for trending keywords in messages—could also see a notable decline in performance. This hampers teams’ ability to respond swiftly to evolving market sentiments or trends.
Companies leveraging APIs for summarizing team outputs will soon encounter restrictions, and the training of internal AI assistants using Slack data will need to halt unless the applications are officially authorized. Interestingly, companies that have developed their own internal tools using Slack APIs for marketing purposes are exempt from these changes.
Slack is also working on solutions that will enable paying users to access centrally stored data without the need for frequent API requests, thus minimizing the risk of data silos. In light of these changes, marketers relying on Slack message analysis need to consider migrating to Slack-approved tools.
This shift would not only ensure compliance with the new Terms but could also offer deeper integration with Salesforce’s broader tech ecosystem, enhancing operational efficiency and effectiveness. As the landscape shifts, companies should carefully evaluate the tools they use and their reliance on third-party applications to maintain compliance and streamline their workflows.