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Twitter sticks to 140 character limit but tweaks messages in latest updates

Twitter logoTwitter is set to make some tweaks to the way its services work, but will stick with its strict 140 character message limit.

However, under the changes, media such as images and polls will no longer make up part of the character count, allowing users and brands to say more in them.

“One of the biggest priorities for this year is to refine our product and make it simpler,” said Twitter CEO, Jack Dorsey, in a blog post. “We’re focused on making Twitter a whole lot easier and faster. This is what Twitter is great at – what’s happening now, live conversation and the simplicity that we started the service with.

“We’re not giving up on the idea of Twitter being in the moment. That concept of brevity, speed and live conversation – being able to think of something and put it out to the world instantly – that’s what’s most important.

“We’re always going to look for opportunities to make Tweets a lot more expressive, and enable people to say what they want to say. As long as things are fast, easy, simple and expressive, we’re going to look at what we can do to make Twitter a better experience.”

Users will also be able to retweet and quote their own tweets. This would give brands and news outlets the opportunity to resurface content more easily in their own timelines.

Another change will see an end to the need to put a full stop before the @ sign when addressing a tweet directly to someone, with all followers now being allowed to see all messages.

According to Twitter it is making the changes now in order to allow developers of products based on the service to update them, before they are rolled out in the coming months.

Alex Hayes

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