Uploading image to Twitter returns a 403 error

Question

I am trying to upload an image to Twitter using their upload media endpoints. However, I always get a 403 Forbidden error.

I have created an application in my Twitter Developer Console, which gave me a bearer token and I am using that to pass in my headers. Here is what things are looking like in postman:

Here is the generated cURL:

curl --location --request POST "https://upload.twitter.com/1.1/media/upload.json?media_category=tweet_image" ^
--header "Content-Length: 53466" ^
--header "Authorization: Bearer AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD1mTQ<REST_OF_BEARER_TOKEN>" ^
--header "Cookie: guest_id=v1%3A163072111368923415; personalization_id=\"v1_Enx+SO8Z5+LYLTsABCKDtg==\"" ^
--form "media=@\"/C:/Users/mikel/Desktop/lions_gate.jpg\""

I am clearly missing something. Why do I continue to get a 403 error?

Thanks!

Answer 1

A Bearer Token will not work with the media upload endpoints. A Bearer Token only provides “app authentication”. You need to use “user authentication” (also known as 3-legged OAuth) in order to identify as a user. Per the documentation:

Requires authentication?    Yes (user context only)