Twitter rolled out a 280-character tweet limit on Tuesday in a bid to increase user engagement. "We're excited to share we are rolling the change out to all languages where cramming [thoughts into a Tweet] was an issue," the company announced in its blog, weeks after the tests of the new feature were launched.
We're expanding the character limit! We want it to be easier and faster for everyone to express themselves.
— Twitter (@Twitter) 7 ноября 2017 г.
More characters. More expression. More of what's happening.https://t.co/wBpYdy1K40
However, the novelty was met with significant concern from Twitter "residents". Several users admitted it's torturous to read long messages that could be written using fewer characters.
I prefer 140 characters. I don't have time to read Twitter paragraphs.
— Shomari Stone (@shomaristone) 9 ноября 2017 г.
me after reading a tweet longer than 140 characters pic.twitter.com/4ePirSy4DK
— antonio (@antoniodelotero) 9 ноября 2017 г.
I think we should go back to 140 characters. These paragraphs are freaking me out
— Kathleen Fuentes (@KathleenLights1) 8 ноября 2017 г.
Some people seem to be fiercely determined against the new feature.
You can tell me I'm a bad pitcher or that I don't have a thigh gap, but DONT EVER respond to my tweets in more than 140 characters. I will block & report you
— Trevor Williams (@MeLlamoTrevor) 9 ноября 2017 г.
I would not engage with tweets with more than 140 characters. Go and collect your RTs and like from Facebook.
— Dr. Savage (@surh__says) 8 ноября 2017 г.
Others already feel nostalgic about the "good old Twitter."
One day I'll be able to tell my Grandchildren that I'm so old, I can remember when:
— Marcher Lord (@MarcherLord1) 9 ноября 2017 г.
1) Twitter had 140 characters
2) The Tory Party had actual Tories in it
3) Michael Jackson was black
Call me old fashioned, but I'm going to miss the days of 140 characters https://t.co/mfWbfEJrov pic.twitter.com/j8GU4bapiB
— Michael Lowry (@MichaelRLowry) 7 ноября 2017 г.
Startup idea: Like twitter, but 140 characters and banning Nazis instead of verifying them.
— David M. Perry (@Lollardfish) 9 ноября 2017 г.
A hashtag was launched in support of the microblog's old style.
Personally, I enjoyed the challenge of fitting my thoughts into 140 characters! 🤓 #140forlife #lessismore https://t.co/NDPf3dyUS2
— Maria LaRosa☀️ (@twcMariaLaRosa) 8 ноября 2017 г.
The difference between a good tweet and a great tweet is the amount of characters #140forlife
— Evan Dunklee (@EvanDunklee1) 8 ноября 2017 г.
I’m going 2 b more brief in protest#280characters #140forlife
— Rick Dove 🎭 (@multistable) 8 ноября 2017 г.
I refuse to go past 1/2 circle #140forlife pic.twitter.com/raz200vDTW
— Millennial Puritan™ (@Puritan2000) 8 ноября 2017 г.
Many users even joined in a sort of a flash mob, comparing the old limit to the new one.
140 characters: im depressed
— lil angel (@sadferrari) 8 ноября 2017 г.
280 characters: i must confess, that my loneliness is killing me now
don't you know i still believe
that you will be here
and give me a sign
hit me baby one more time
140 characters: he's harry. just harry.
— cast of harry potter (@castofhp) 9 ноября 2017 г.
280 characters: The Boy Who Lived. The youngest Quidditch Seeker in over a century. The Triwizard Champion. The Boy Who Lies. The Chosen One. The Heir of Slytherin. The Undesirable No 1. The Leader Of Dumbledore's Army. The Master of Death.
140 characters: your
— Jomar Dela Rosa (@jomardlrs) 9 ноября 2017 г.
280 characters: you're
Me with 140 characters: I’m back on my bullshit
— Bardock Obama 🐝🇩🇴 (@SavinTheBees) 8 ноября 2017 г.
Me with 280: I have indubitably returned to my previous state of immeasurable shenanigans
According to Twitter, tests of the new feature showed there was no excessive use of 280 characters: only 5 percent of tweets were longer than 140 characters and only 2 percent were over 190 symbols. "When people needed to use more than 140 characters, they Tweeted more easily and more often. But importantly, people Tweeted below 140 most of the time and the brevity of Twitter remained," the microblogging platform revealed in a blog post.
The longer limit won't be available for the Japanese, Korean and Chinese languages, since cramming has not been an issue for logographic writing systems.
