When Did Twitter Change To 280 Characters

Why Did Twitter Modify Their Grapheme Limit To 280 Characters?

Published January eleven, 2018

We all know past now that Twitter raised their character limit to 280 in 2017. Predictably, this alter has inspired hilarious reactions online. Well-nigh users are downright gleeful they take a wee-fleck more space to tweet. Others are upset, claiming this expansion will ruin Twitter by making it more like Facebook. A few grumpy tweeters have solemnly vowed to never compose a tweet that'southward longer than the original 140 characters.

I volition NEVER use 280 characters nor will I favorite or retweet a tweet with them. THIS IS MY FIGHT Song

— christine teigen (@chrissyteigen) November 8, 2017

How did 140 characters inspire creativity?

When Twitter started gaining mainstream popularity (around 2010), some couldn't help simply mock its peculiar format. They called tweets a vapid class of communication.

Early data from the Pew Research Heart indicated that Twitter users spent picayune time reading the tweets of others. Rather, virtually users preferred posting about their personal life, favorite activities, or full general observations. This fueled skepticism nearly the platform, leading some to denounce Twitter as a narcissistic repeat-sleeping accommodation for millennials.

Over time, millions of users warmed up to Twitter's self-imposed brevity. Although 140 characters initially seemed restrictive, some took advantage of this format. For instance, belatedly-dark host Conan O'Brien used the platform to fire off night jokes about his unemployment after leavingThe This evening Show.https://twitter.com/ConanOBrien/statuses/9596834783

Due to the constraints of a single tweet, humorists similar O'Brien were forced to write curt jokes that packed a punch. Rather than limiting comedic opportunities, Twitter'south grapheme restriction actually inspired inventiveness. And now, this character limit is a fundamental part of what makes the platform then innovative and successful.

But, is more less?

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— Oregoth Boo (@OregonZoo) September 27, 2017

The avalanche of otters above is only one of countless tweets that poke fun at the new 280-character limit (we have some fun with it too in our list of Millennial Allergies!). However, we call back the extra give-and-take count volition go along inspiring writers while enabling a better utilize of language (a big pro to us hither at Dictionary.com!). If you're an old-schoolhouse Twitter user, you know it can be frustrating to accept a perfect tweet ruined because you are ane or ii characters over the limit (and you don't want to resort to nonsensical abbreviations, correct?). Now, nosotros all take a piffling more room to stretch out. Ahh, that's comfortable.

280 characters has fifty-fifty motivated the emergence of independent journalism on Twitter. New-age journalists like Seth Abramson utilize Twitter to break news on their own without relying on mainstream outlets. With the expanded graphic symbol limit, Abramson can post chunks of independent research without truncating his work. He'southward also known forthreading his content, a feature that allows users to postal service multiple tweets packaged together. The result is a mini-article comprising several tweets that tells a bigger story than even 280-characters could. Thanks to these subtle changes, Twitter is evolving into a hotbed of online independent journalism.

The Verdict?

🌟 . * . 🌙
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Thanks @Twitter, we tin can
always utilize more space 🚀
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🌞
* ☄️#280characters

— NASA Goddard (@NASAGoddard) November eight, 2017

Information technology seems the 280-character limit is here to stay. But, don't be afraid! Give-and-take lovers on Twitter can cover this upheaval every bit a unique challenge. 140 characters forced united states of america to be creative by carefully choosing our words, and now 280 characters is bound to provoke us once again. What can you create in 280 characters? Nosotros're excited to see.

Bias. Can be either favorable or unfavorable.

Prejudice. Unfavorable, fabricated for no apparent reason.#WordsMatter #ChooseWiselyhttps://t.co/fdwesyGz8c pic.twitter.com/Tpvrpor9BE

— Lexicon.com (@Dictionarycom) January 9, 2018