Twitter temporarily blocked access to the Twitter API for two third-party apps, stating that it had blacklisted UberTwitter and twidroyd for “violating our policies.” While it did not state what these apps, both developed by UberMedia, had done to fall foul of its guidelines, it said that “every day, we suspend hundreds of applications that are in violation of our policies…we are taking the unusual step of sharing this with you because today’s suspension may affect a large number of users.” Shortly afterward, it noted that it had reinstated UberTwitter and twidroyd access, because “our initial review indicates that steps have been taken to remedy the violations for these applications.”

paidContent noted that the decisions had “raised eyebrows” because of the relationship with UberMedia, which “has been aggressively building a collection of Twitter apps that compete directly with Twitter’s own clients.” Indeed, in its initial post Twitter directed users affected to its own apps as an alternative to the third-party products. Among the actions taken by UberMedia was renaming the UberTwitter app as UberSocial, for both its BlackBerry and iPhone versions.

According to TechCrunch, Twitter said that the apps were blocked because of violations which “include, but aren’t limited to, a privacy issue with private Direct Messages longer than 140 characters, trademark infringement, and changing the content of users’ Tweets in order to make money.” It said it had been in contact with UberMedia since April 2010 about its activities, when the company first launched as TweetUp.

UberMedia has been growing rapidly, and earlier this month it raised an unspecified amount of funding from Accel Partners. At the time, it stated that its intention is “to enhance the Twitter experience with functionality in our clients and to be the best partner with Twitter in growing and enhancing their ecosystem.”

While it first launched as TweetUp, UberMedia had changed its name to PostUp in the interim. It adopted the UberMedia name after acquiring the UberTwitter client for the BlackBerry platform in January 2011. It has also acquired businesses including Echofon and Twidroid, both of which developed Twitter apps for mobile devices, renaming the latter business Twidroyd, “in order to ensure miminal confision with products from Lucas Films, trademark owner of the term droid.”