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{{Short description|American social networking service}}
{{Infobox Company
{{About|the social networking service|the company which owns and operates it|Twitter, Inc.}}
| name = Twitter, Inc.
{{Redirect2|Tweeting|Tweeted|the animal behavior|Bird vocalization||Tweet (disambiguation)}}
{{pp-semi-indef}}
{{pp-move-indef}}
{{Good article}}
{{Use American English|date=June 2015}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2022}}
{{Infobox website
| name = Twitter
| logo = Twitter-logo.svg
| logo = Twitter-logo.svg
| logo_size = 100px
| type = [[Private company|Private]]
| screenshot = Twitter Home Page (Moments version, countries without dedicated feed).png
| genre =  
| caption = The default page shown to logged-out users
| foundation = [[San Francisco]], [[California]], [[United States]]
| collapsible = no
| founder = [[Jack Dorsey]]<br /> [[Evan Williams (entrepreneur)|Evan Williams]]<br /> [[Biz Stone]]
| company_type =  <!-- Go to Twitter Inc for the main page -->
| dissolved =
| website_type = [[Social networking service]]
| location_city = 795 Folsom St., Suite 600, San Francisco, CA 94107
| native_clients = {{hlist|[[iOS]]|[[Android (operating system)|Android]]|[[Windows Phone]]|[[Microsoft Windows]]|[[macOS]]|[[Internet|web]]}}
| location_country = {{nowrap|United States}}<ref>{{cite web |url= https://twitter.com/about/contact |title= Contact Us |access-date= 2017-08-31 |archive-date= 2012-03-11 |archive-url= https://www.webcitation.org/665xzuWqq?url=http://twitter.com/about/contact |url-status= dead }}</ref>
| language = Multilingual
| locations =  
| foundation = {{Start date and age|2006|03|21}}
| area_served = Worldwide
| location =  
| key_people = [[Elon Musk]] <small>(Owner)</small><br>[[Jack Dorsey]] <small>([[Chairman]])</small><br />Dick Costolo <small>([[CEO]])</small><br />[[Evan Williams (entrepreneur)|Evan Williams]] <small>(Product Strategy)</small><br />[[Biz Stone]] <small>(Creative Director)</small>
| area_served = Worldwide, except [[Censorship of Twitter|blocking countries]]
| industry = [[Websites]]
| founder = {{Unbulleted list|class=nowrap|[[Jack Dorsey]]|[[Noah Glass]]|[[Biz Stone]]|[[Evan Williams (Internet entrepreneur)|Evan Williams]]}}
| products = [https://twitter.com twitter.com]
| CEO = [[Parag Agrawal]] ([[Chief executive officer|CEO]])<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2021/11/29/twitter-ceo-jack-dorsey-is-expected-to-step-down-sources-say.html|title=Twitter CTO Parag Agrawal will replace Jack Dorsey as CEO|date= November 29, 2021|publisher=cnbc.com}}</ref>
| services = [[Social networking]], [[Microblogging]]
| owner = [[Twitter, Inc.]]<!-- DO NOT ADD ELON MUSK HERE -->
| market cap =
| revenue = {{profit}} US $5.081 billion (2021)<ref name='NYT-Twitter Hacked'>{{Cite news |author= Claire Cain Miller, Brad Stone |title= Hacker Exposes Private Twitter Documents |date= July 15, 2009 |url= http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/15/hacker-exposes-private-twitter-documents/?hpw. |work=[[The New York Times]] |access-date= July 15, 2009 }}</ref>
| operating_income =
| net_income =
| intl =
| assets =
| equity =
| owner =  
| num_employees = 7,500 (2021)<ref name="pressinfo">[http://blog.twitter.com/2010/10/newtwitterceo.html "Press Info"], Twitter. Retrieved May 27, 2010.</ref>
| parent =  
| parent =  
| industry =  
| divisions =  
| url = {{Official URL}}
| subsid =  
| registration = Required
| homepage = {{URL|https://twitter.com}}
| num_users = 229&nbsp;million monetizable [[daily active users|DAU]] (Q1 2022)
| footnotes =  
| launch_date = {{Start date and age|2006|07|15}}
| current_status = Active
| programming_language = {{hlist|[[Java (programming language)|Java]]|[[Ruby (programming language)|Ruby]]|[[Scala (programming language)|Scala]]|[[JavaScript]]}}
| footnotes = <ref name=Dorsey2006/><ref name=10K>{{cite web|url=https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/1418091/000141809122000029/twtr-20211231.htm|title=US SEC: FY2021 Form 10-K Twitter, Inc.|publisher=[[U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission]]|access-date=March 27, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://about.twitter.com/en_us/company.html|title=Twitter – Company|website=about.twitter.com|access-date=July 30, 2019}}</ref><ref name="Twitter coding"/><ref name="infoq-jvm">{{cite web|first=Charles|last=Humble|title=Twitter Shifting More Code to JVM, Citing Performance and Encapsulation As Primary Drivers|date=July 4, 2011|work=InfoQ|access-date=January 15, 2013|url=http://www.infoq.com/articles/twitter-java-use}}</ref><ref name=launch/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2022/04/28/twitter-twtr-earnings-q1-2022.html|title=Twitter reports user bump, revenue miss for Q1, days after accepting Musk's takeover bid|work=CNBC|author=Lauren Feiner|date=April 28, 2022}}</ref>
}}
}}
'''Twitter''' is a [[social network service|social networking]] and [[microblogging]] service. Users use any device with an [[internet]] connection and a [[web browser]] to send and to read messages, called "tweets". For years, tweets could be up to 140 [[character (computing) |character]]s long, then doubled in November 2017 to 280 characters.<ref name=max280/> They appear on the user's [[user profile|profile]] page. Tweets can usually be read by anyone, but senders can also keep messages private. Private tweets only go to their list of friends. Users may subscribe to tweets from other people. This is called ''following'', and subscribers are known as ''followers''. As of late 2009, users can also follow lists of authors.<ref name="lists1">{{cite web 4|url= http://blog.twitter.com/2009/10/theres-list-for-that.html |title=There's a List for That |publisher=blog.twitter.com |date=October 30, 2009 |access-date=February 1, 2010}}</ref><ref name="lists2">{{cite web |url=http://help.twitter.com/forums/10711/entries/76460 |title=Twitter Lists! |publisher=help.twitter.com |date=November 9, 2009 |access-date=February 1, 2010 |archive-date=December 22, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091222223731/http://help.twitter.com/forums/10711/entries/76460 |url-status=dead }}</ref>


'''Twitter''' is a [[microblogging]] and [[social networking service]] on which users post and interact with messages known as "tweets", owned by American company [[Twitter, Inc.]] [[Registered user]]s can post, like, and retweet tweets, however, unregistered users have the ability to only read tweets that are publicly available. Users interact with Twitter through browser or mobile [[Frontend and backend|frontend]] software, or programmatically via its [[API]]s. Prior to April 2020, services were accessible via [[SMS]].<ref>[https://www.theverge.com/2020/4/27/21238131/twitter-sms-notifications-disabled-jack-dorsey-hack "Twitter turns off its original SMS service in most countries"] Retrieved January 14, 2021.</ref> Tweets were originally restricted to 140 [[character (computing)|characters]], but the limit was doubled to 280 for non-[[CJK characters|CJK languages]] in November 2017.<ref>[https://blog.twitter.com/official/en_us/topics/product/2017/tweetingmadeeasier.html "Tweeting Made Easier"] Retrieved November 7, 2017.</ref> Audio and video tweets remain limited to 140 seconds for most accounts.
All users can send and receive tweets using the Twitter website. They can also use other applications that work with Twitter on [[smartphone]]s. Twitter by [[SMS|Short Message Service]] (SMS) is available in certain countries.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://help.twitter.com/entries/14226-how-to-find-your-twitter-short-long-code |title=Using Twitter With Your Phone |quote=We currently support 2-way (sending and receiving) Twitter SMS via short codes and 1-way (sending only) via long codes. |publisher=Twitter Support |access-date=2010-06-01 |archive-date=2010-03-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100315200218/http://help.twitter.com/entries/14226-how-to-find-your-twitter-short-long-code |url-status=dead }}</ref> Using Twitter is free, but sending or getting tweets by SMS may cost money. The website is based in [[San Francisco|San Francisco, California]]. Twitter also has servers and offices in [[San Antonio, Texas]] and [[Boston, Massachusetts]], and soon in [[Salt Lake City, Utah]].


Twitter was created by [[Jack Dorsey]], [[Noah Glass]], [[Biz Stone]], and [[Evan Williams (Internet entrepreneur)|Evan Williams]] in March 2006 and launched in July of that year. Twitter, Inc. is based in [[San Francisco, California]] and has more than 25 offices around the world.<ref>[https://about.twitter.com/company "About Twitter"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160403002854/https://about.twitter.com/company |date=April 3, 2016 }} Retrieved April 24, 2014.</ref> {{As of|2012|alt=By 2012}}, more than 100 million users posted 340 million tweets a day,<ref>{{cite web|url= https://blog.twitter.com/2012/twitter-turns-six |title=Twitter turns six |date=March 21, 2012 |publisher=Twitter}}</ref> and the service handled an average of 1.6 billion [[Web search query|search queries]] per day.<ref name="Twitter_500" /><ref>{{cite web |url=https://blog.twitter.com/2011/engineering-behind-twitter%E2%80%99s-new-search-experience |title=The Engineering Behind Twitter's New Search Experience |date=May 31, 2011 |access-date=June 7, 2014 |work=Twitter Engineering Blog |publisher=Twitter |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140325080255/https://blog.twitter.com/2011/engineering-behind-twitter%E2%80%99s-new-search-experience |archive-date=March 25, 2014 }}</ref><ref>[http://blog.twitter.com/2012/03/twitter-turns-six.html "Twitter turns six"] Twitter.com, March 21, 2012. Retrieved December 18, 2012.</ref> In 2013, it was one of the ten [[List of most popular websites|most-visited websites]] and has been described as "the SMS of the Internet".<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/swine-flu%5Cs-tweet-tweet-causes-online-flutter/356604/ |title=Swine Flu's Tweet Tweet Causes Online Flutter |date=April 29, 2009 |first=Leslie |last=D'Monte |work=[[Business Standard]] |quote=Also known as the 'SMS of the internet', Twitter is a free social networking service |access-date=February 4, 2011}}</ref> {{As of|2019||alt= By the start of 2019}}, Twitter had more than 330 million monthly active users.<ref name="Twitter">{{cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/news/2017/10/26/twitter-overcounted-active-users-since-2014-shares-surge/801968001/|title=Twitter overcounted active users since 2014, shares surge on profit hopes|newspaper=USA Today}}</ref> In practice, the vast majority of tweets are written by a minority of users.<ref>Carlson, Nicholas. "[https://www.cbsnews.com/news/stunning-new-numbers-on-who-uses-twitter/ 10% Of Twitter Users Account For 90% Of Twitter Activity]", [[Business Insider]] (June 2, 2009).</ref><ref>Wojcik, Stefan and Hughes, Adam.  "[https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2019/04/24/sizing-up-twitter-users/ Sizing Up Twitter Users]", [[Pew Research Center]] (April 25, 2019).</ref>
Twitter has become very popular worldwide since [[Jack Dorsey]] created it in 2006. It now has more than 126 million users.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/infotech/internet/Twitter-snags-over-100-million-users-eyes-money-making/articleshow/5808927.cms |title=Twitter snags over 100 million users, eyes money-making |access-date=April 15, 2010 |archive-date=April 18, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100418205655/http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/infotech/internet/Twitter-snags-over-100-million-users-eyes-money-making/articleshow/5808927.cms |url-status=dead }}</ref> It is sometimes described as the "SMS of the [[Internet]]."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/swine-flu%5Cs-tweet-tweet-causes-online-flutter/356604/ |title=Swine flu's tweet tweet causes online flutter |date=April 29, 2009 |first=Leslie |last=D'Monte |newspaper=Business Standard India |publisher=Business Standard |quote=Also known as the 'SMS of the internet', Twitter is a free social networking and micro-blogging service |access-date=May 28, 2009}}</ref>


On April 25, 2022, the Twitter board of directors agreed to [[Acquisition of Twitter by Elon Musk|a $44 billion buyout]] by [[Elon Musk]], the CEO of [[SpaceX]] and [[Tesla, Inc.|Tesla]], potentially making it one of the biggest deals to turn a company private.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Isaac |first1=Mike |last2=Hirsch |first2=Lauren |date=April 25, 2022 |title=Musk's deal for Twitter is worth about $44 billion. |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/live/2022/04/25/business/elon-musk-twitter/musks-deal-for-twitter-is-worth-about-44-billion?smid=url-copy |access-date=2022-04-26 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Feiner |first=Lauren |date=April 25, 2022 |title=Twitter accepts Elon Musk's buyout deal |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2022/04/25/twitter-accepts-elon-musks-buyout-deal.html |access-date=April 25, 2022 |website=CNBC |language=en}}</ref>
On April 25, 2022, the Twitter board of directors agreed to [[Elon Musk]]'s [[United States dollar|USD]] $44 billion offer to buy the company.<ref name=elon>{{Cite web |last=Feiner |first=Lauren |date=2022-04-25 |title=Twitter accepts Elon Musk's buyout deal |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2022/04/25/twitter-accepts-elon-musks-buyout-deal.html |access-date=2022-04-25 |website=CNBC |language=en}}</ref> On October 27, 2022, Elon Musk took control of the company and fired CEO Parag Agarwal along with other top executives.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Duffy|first=Donie O'Sullivan and Clare|date=2022-10-27|title=Elon Musk has taken control of Twitter and fired its top executives|url=https://www.cp24.com/world/elon-musk-has-taken-control-of-twitter-and-fired-its-top-executives-1.6127440|access-date=2022-10-28|website=CP24|language=en}}</ref>  


== History ==
==History==
{{Further|Timeline of Twitter}}
[[File:Twttr sketch-Dorsey-2006.jpg|right|200px|thumb| [[Jack Dorsey|Jack Dorsey's]] drawing of an idea for an [[SMS]]-based [[social network]] in around 2006.]]


=== 2006–2007: Creation and initial reaction ===
Twitter started at a [[podcast]]ing company [[Odeo]]. The company board members had a "daylong brainstorming session." During the meeting, [[Jack Dorsey]] introduced the idea of one person using an [[SMS]] service to communicate with a small group. At first, they called this project "twttr". It fit the five-character length of American SMS [[short code]]s and sounded like "[[Flickr]]". At first, the developers planned to use "10958" as a short code. Later they changed it to "40404" because it was easier to remember and type.<ref name=HowTwitterWasBorn>{{cite web|url=http://www.140characters.com/2009/01/30/how-twitter-was-born/|title=How Twitter Was Born|publisher=140 Characters|date=January 30, 2009|first=Dom|last=Sagolla|access-date=June 25, 2009}}</ref> Dorsey sent the first Twitter message at 9:50 PM [[Pacific Standard Time]] (PST) March 21, 2006. The first tweet was, "just setting up my twttr."<ref name=Dorsey2006>{{Cite journal |title=just setting up my twttr |url= https://twitter.com/jack/status/20 |year=2006 |author=Dorsey, Jack |journal=Twitter |access-date=June 19, 2009 }}</ref><ref name=max280>{{cite web |title= Twitter is giving everyone longer tweets, but you probably won't use them |id= Those 280-character tweets are here to stay |author= Kurt Wagner |url= https://www.recode.net/2017/11/7/16615914/twitter-longer-tweets-280-characters-update-available-everyone |date= Nov 7, 2017 |access-date= 2019-03-15 }}</ref>
[[File:Twttr sketch-Dorsey-2006.jpg|thumb|A sketch, {{circa}} 2006, by [[Jack Dorsey]], envisioning an [[SMS]]-based [[social network]]]]


Twitter's origins lie in a "daylong brainstorming session" held by board members of the [[podcast]]ing company [[Odeo]]. [[Jack Dorsey]], then an undergraduate student at [[New York University]], introduced the idea of an individual using an SMS service to communicate with a small group.<ref>{{registration required|date=February 2011}} {{cite news|author=Miller, Claire Cain|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/31/technology/31ev.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101101065448/http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/31/technology/31ev.html |archive-date=November 1, 2010 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Why Twitter's C.E.O. Demoted Himself|date=October 30, 2010|work=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=October 31, 2010}}</ref><ref name="origins">{{cite web|title=Co-founder of Twitter receives key to St. Louis with 140 character proclamation|url=http://www.ksdk.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=185395&catid=3|archive-url=https://archive.today/20121228183342/http://www.ksdk.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=185395&catid=3|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 28, 2012|date=September 19, 2009|work=ksdk.com|publisher=[[KSDK]]|access-date=September 29, 2009|quote=After high school in St. Louis and some time at the [[Missouri University of Science and Technology|University of Missouri–Rolla]], Jack headed east to New York University.}}</ref> The original [[project code name]] for the service was ''twttr'', the [[Disemvoweling|disemvowelled]] version of the word ''twitter'', an idea that Williams later ascribed to [[Noah Glass (Twitter)|Noah Glass]],<ref>{{cite tweet|number=58275072011542529|user=ev|title=It's true that @Noah never got enough credit for his early role at Twitter. Also, he came up with the name, which was brilliant.<!-- full text of tweet that Twitter returned to the bot (excluding links) added by TweetCiteBot. This may be better truncated or may need expanding (TW limits responses to 140 characters) or case changes. --> |access-date=April 26, 2011|date=April 13, 2011}}</ref> inspired by [[Flickr]] and the five-character length of American SMS [[short code]]s. The decision was also partly due to the fact that the domain twitter.com was already in use, and it was six months after the launch of twttr that the crew purchased the domain and changed the name of the service to ''Twitter''.<ref>{{cite news|title=Buy a vowel? How Twttr became Twitter|url=https://money.cnn.com/galleries/2010/technology/1011/gallery.Startup_Domain_Names/|website=CNNMoney|access-date=June 9, 2015|date=November 23, 2010}}</ref> The developers initially considered "10958" as a short code, but later changed it to "40404" for "ease of use and memorability".<ref name="HowTwitterWasBorn">{{cite web|url=http://www.140characters.com/2009/01/30/how-twitter-was-born/|title=How Twitter Was Born|work=140 Characters: A Style Guide for the Short Form|publisher=140 Characters|date=January 30, 2009|first=Dom|last=Sagolla|access-date=February 4, 2011}}</ref> Work on the project started on March 21, 2006, when Dorsey published the first Twitter message at 12:50&nbsp;p.m. [[Pacific Standard Time|PST]] ([[UTC−08:00]]): "just setting up my twttr".<ref name="Dorsey2006">{{cite tweet|number=20|user=jack|title=just setting up my twttr<!-- full text of tweet that Twitter returned to the bot (excluding links) added by TweetCiteBot. This may be better truncated or may need expanding (TW limits responses to 140 characters) or case changes. --> |access-date=February 4, 2011 |date=March 21, 2006 }}</ref> Dorsey has explained the origin of the "Twitter" title:<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2009/02/twitter-creator.html |title=Twitter Creator Jack Dorsey Illuminates the Site's Founding Document|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date=February 18, 2009|first=David|last=Sano|access-date=June 18, 2009}}</ref>
{{quote|[W]e came across the word "[[wikt:twitter|twitter]]," and it was just perfect. The definition was "a short burst of inconsequential information," and "chirps from birds." And that’s exactly what the product was.|[[Jack Dorsey]]<ref>{{Cite news |url= http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2009/02/twitter-creator.html |title=Twitter creator Jack Dorsey illuminates the site's founding document|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date=February 18, 2009|first=David|last=Sano|access-date=June 18, 2009}}</ref>}}
<blockquote>
...we came across the word "twitter", and it was just perfect. The definition was "a short burst of inconsequential information", and "chirps from birds". And that's exactly what the product was.
</blockquote>


The first Twitter prototype, developed by Dorsey and contractor Florian Weber, was used as an internal service for Odeo employees.<ref>[http://www.businessinsider.com/how-twitter-was-founded-2011-4?op=1 "How Twitter Was Founded"]. Business Insider (April 13, 2011). Retrieved on September 4, 2013.</ref> The full version was introduced publicly on July 15, 2006.<ref name="launch">{{cite web |first=Michael |last=Arrington |url=https://techcrunch.com/2006/07/15/is-twttr-interesting/ |title=Odeo Releases Twttr |work=[[TechCrunch]] |publisher=[[AOL]] |date=July 15, 2006 |access-date=September 18, 2010 |author-link=Michael Arrington}}</ref> In October 2006, [[Biz Stone]], [[Evan Williams (Internet entrepreneur)|Evan Williams]], Dorsey, and other members of Odeo formed Obvious Corporation and acquired Odeo, together with its assets—including Odeo.com and Twitter.com—from the investors and shareholders.<ref>{{Cite news| first=Om | last=Malik | title=Odeo RIP, Hello Obvious Corp | date=October 25, 2006 |url=http://gigaom.com/2006/10/25/odeo-rip-hello-obvious-corp/ |work=[[GigaOM]] |access-date=June 20, 2009}}</ref> Williams fired Glass, who was silent about his part in Twitter's startup until 2011.<ref>{{cite news|author=Madrigal, Alexis|title=Twitter's Fifth Beatle Tells His Side of the Story|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2011/04/twitters-fifth-beatle-tells-his-side-of-the-story/237326/|date=April 14, 2011|work=The Atlantic|access-date=April 26, 2011}}</ref> Twitter spun off into its own company in April 2007.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thedailyanchor.com/2009/02/12/a-conversation-with-twitter-co-founder-jack-dorsey/ |title=A Conversation with Twitter Co-Founder Jack Dorsey |access-date=February 12, 2009 |last=Lennon |first=Andrew |work=[[The Daily Anchor]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090727073104/http://www.thedailyanchor.com/2009/02/12/a-conversation-with-twitter-co-founder-jack-dorsey/ |archive-date=July 27, 2009 }}</ref> Williams provided insight into the ambiguity that defined this early period in a 2013 interview:<ref name="Inc">{{cite web|title=Ev Williams on Twitter's Early Years|url=http://www.inc.com/issie-lapowsky/ev-williams-twitter-early-years.html?cid=em01011week40day04b|work=Inc.|access-date=October 5, 2013|first=Issie|last=Lapowsky|date=October 4, 2013}}</ref>
The first version of Twitter was only for [[Odeo]] employees to use. They opened the full version for anyone to use on July 15, 2006. In October 2006, [[Biz Stone]], [[Evan Williams (blogger)|Evan Williams]], Dorsey, and other members of Odeo started a new company called Obvious Corporation. Obvious Corporation bought Odeo and all of its property–including Odeo.com and Twitter.com–from the investors and [[shareholder]]s.<ref name='Odeo RIP'>{{Cite news |first=Om |last= Malik |title= Odeo RIP, Hello Obvious Corp |date= October 25, 2006 |url= http://gigaom.com/2006/10/25/odeo-rip-hello-obvious-corp/ |work=[[GigaOM]] |access-date= June 20, 2009}}</ref> Twitter became its own separate company in April 2007.<ref name='Dorsey Interview'>{{cite web |url=http://www.thedailyanchor.com/2009/02/12/a-conversation-with-twitter-co-founder-jack-dorsey |title=A Conversation With Twitter Co-Founder Jack Dorsey |last=Lennon |first=Andrew |work=The Daily Anchor |access-date=June 20, 2009 |archive-date=July 27, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090727073104/http://www.thedailyanchor.com/2009/02/12/a-conversation-with-twitter-co-founder-jack-dorsey/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>
<blockquote>
With Twitter, it wasn't clear what it was. They called it a social network, they called it microblogging, but it was hard to define, because it didn't replace anything. There was this path of discovery with something like that, where over time you figure out what it is. Twitter actually changed from what we thought it was in the beginning, which we described as status updates and a social utility. It is that, in part, but the insight we eventually came to was Twitter was really more of an information network than it is a social network.
</blockquote>


=== 2007–2010 ===
Twitter started becoming very popular after the 2007 [[South by Southwest]] (SXSW) festival. During the event, [[Twitter usage]] increased from 20,000&nbsp;tweets per day to 60,000.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://gawker.com/tech/next-big-thing/twitter-blows-up-at-sxsw-conference-243634.php |title= Twitter blows up at SXSW Conference |access-date= June 20, 2009 |last= Douglas |first= Nick |date= March 12, 2007 |work= [[Gawker]] |archive-date= November 13, 2010 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20101113121309/http://gawker.com//tech//next-big-thing//twitter-blows-up-at-sxsw-conference-243634.php |url-status= dead }}</ref> The Twitter company set up two very large computer screens in the hallways at the conference. These screens only showed Twitter messages. Hundreds of people at the conference checked on what each other were doing by looking at the many tweets. Panelists and speakers talked about Twitter. Bloggers at SXSW described it to others in a very positive way.<ref name='Newsweek Tipping Point'>{{Cite news |first=Steven |last=Levy |title=Twitter: Is Brevity The Next Big Thing |date=April 30, 2007 |url= http://www.newsweek.com/id/35289 |work=Newsweek |access-date= June 20, 2009}}</ref>
The [[tipping point (sociology)|tipping point]] for Twitter's popularity was the 2007 [[South by Southwest Interactive]] (SXSWi) conference. During the event, [[Twitter usage]] increased from 20,000 tweets per day to 60,000.<ref>{{cite web |first=Courtney Boyd |last=Meyers |title=5 years ago today Twitter launched to the public |url=https://thenextweb.com/twitter/2011/07/15/5-years-ago-today-twitter-launched-to-the-public/ |website=The Next Web |date=July 15, 2011 |access-date=May 5, 2017}}</ref> "The Twitter people cleverly placed two 60-inch plasma screens in the conference hallways, exclusively streaming Twitter messages," remarked ''[[Newsweek]]''{{'}}s [[Steven Levy]]. "Hundreds of conference-goers kept tabs on each other via constant twitters. Panelists and speakers mentioned the service, and the bloggers in attendance touted it."<ref>{{Cite news|author=Levy, Steven|title=Twitter: Is Brevity The Next Big Thing? |date=April 30, 2007 |url=http://www.newsweek.com/id/35289 |work=[[Newsweek]] |access-date=February 4, 2011 |author-link=Steven Levy}}</ref> Reaction at the conference was highly positive. Blogger [[Scott Beale (blogger)|Scott Beale]] said that Twitter was "absolutely ruling" SXSWi. Social software researcher [[danah boyd|Danah Boyd]] said Twitter was "owning" the conference.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.cnet.com/8301-17939_109-9696264-2.html |title=To Twitter or Dodgeball at SXSW? |access-date=February 4, 2011 |first=Daniel |last=Terdiman |author-link=Daniel Terdiman |date=March 10, 2007 |work=[[CNET]] |publisher=[[CBS Interactive]] |archive-date=December 3, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203224143/http://news.cnet.com/8301-17939_109-9696264-2.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> Twitter staff received the festival's Web Award prize with the remark "we'd like to thank you in 140 characters or less. And we just did!"<ref>{{cite web |access-date=May 7, 2008 |url=http://blog.twitter.com/2007/03/we-won.html |title=We Won! |work=Twitter Blog |publisher=Twitter |date=February 4, 2011 |first=Biz |last=Stone |author-link=Biz Stone}}</ref>


The company experienced rapid initial growth. It had 400,000 tweets posted per quarter in 2007. This grew to {{Nowrap|100 million}} tweets posted per quarter in 2008. In February 2010, Twitter users were sending {{Nowrap|50 million}} tweets per day.<ref>{{Cite news| url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/twitter/7297541/Twitter-users-send-50-million-tweets-per-day.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/twitter/7297541/Twitter-users-send-50-million-tweets-per-day.html |archive-date=January 10, 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live | work=[[The Daily Telegraph]] | title=Twitter Users Send 50 Million Tweets Per Day&nbsp;– Almost 600 Tweets Are Sent Every Second Through the Microblogging Site, According to Its Own Metrics | first=Claudine | last=Beaumont | date=February 23, 2010|access-date=February 7, 2011 | location=London}}{{cbignore}}</ref> In 2009, Twitter won the "Breakout of the Year" [[Webby Award]].<ref>{{cite web |title=13th Annual Webby Special Achievement Award Winners |url=http://www.webbyawards.com/webbys/specialachievement13.php/#twitter |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110220215629/http://www.webbyawards.com/webbys/specialachievement13.php/ |archive-date=February 20, 2011 |access-date=February 22, 2011 |publisher=[[Webby Award|The Webby Awards]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Paul |first=Ian |date=May 5, 2009 |title=Jimmy Fallon Wins Top Webby: And the Winners Are... |work=[[PC World (magazine)|PC World]] |url=http://www.pcworld.com/article/164374/jimmy_fallon_wins_top_webby_and_the_winners_are.html |access-date=February 22, 2011}}</ref> On November 29, 2009, Twitter was named the Word of the Year by the [[Global Language Monitor]], declaring it "a new form of social interaction".<ref>{{cite web |date=November 29, 2009 |title=Top Word of 2009: Twitter |url=http://www.languagemonitor.com/top-words/top-word-of-2009-twitter/ |access-date=July 28, 2014 |publisher=Languagemonitor.com}}</ref> By March 2010, the company recorded over 70,000 registered applications.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.newstatesman.com/digital/2010/03/twitter-registered-created|work=[[New Statesman]]|title=Twitter Registers 1,500 Per Cent Growth in Users|date=March 4, 2010|access-date=February 7, 2011|archive-date=May 3, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190503011352/https://www.newstatesman.com/digital/2010/03/twitter-registered-created|url-status=dead}}</ref> As of June 2010, about {{Nowrap|65 million}} tweets were posted each day, equaling about 750 tweets sent each second, according to Twitter.<ref>{{cite web|author=Garrett, Sean|title=Big Goals, Big Game, Big Records|url=http://blog.twitter.com/2010/06/big-goals-big-game-big-records.html|publisher=Twitter Blog ([[blog]] of Twitter)|access-date=February 7, 2011|date=June 18, 2010}}</ref> As of March 2011, that was about {{Nowrap|140 million}} tweets posted daily.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://blog.twitter.com/2011/03/numbers.html |title=Twitter Blog: #numbers |publisher=Blog.twitter.com |date=March 14, 2011 |access-date=January 20, 2012}}</ref> As noted on [[Compete.com]], Twitter moved up to the third-highest-ranking [[social networking]] site in January 2009 from its previous rank of twenty-second.<ref name="Kazeniac" />
Reaction at the festival was very good. Blogger Scott Beale said that Twitter "absolutely rul[ed]" SXSW. Social software researcher [[Danah Boyd]] said Twitter "own[ed]" the festival.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.cnet.com/8301-17939_109-9696264-2.html |title=To Twitter or Dodgeball at SXSW? |access-date=June 20, 2009 |last=Terdiman |first=Daniel |date=March 10, 2007 |work=[[CNET]] |archive-date=December 3, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203224143/http://news.cnet.com/8301-17939_109-9696264-2.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> Twitter staff won the festival's Web Award prize. They said, "we'd like to thank you in 140&nbsp;characters or less. And we just did!"<ref>{{cite web |access-date= May 7, 2008 |url= http://blog.twitter.com/2007/03/we-won.html |title=We Won! |publisher=Twitter |date=March 14, 2007 |author=Stone, Biz}}</ref>
[[Image:Twitter logo.svg |right|200px|thumb|Previous Twitter logo, used until September 14, 2010.]]


[[File:Jack Dorsey - TechCrunch Real-Time Stream Crunchup - 2009.jpg|thumb|left|[[Jack Dorsey]], co-founder and CEO of Twitter, in 2009]]
On September 14, 2010, Twitter changed the site design and added a new logo.<ref>{{cite news |access-date= September 16, 2010 |url= http://www.cnn.com/2010/TECH/social.media/09/16/cashmore.twitter.web/index.html |title='New Twitter' shows the Web isn't dead |publisher= CNN |date=September 16, 2010 |author=Cashmore, Pete}}</ref>
Twitter's usage spikes during prominent events. For example, a record was set during the [[2010 FIFA World Cup]] when fans wrote 2,940 tweets per second in the thirty-second period after [[Japan national football team|Japan]] scored against [[Cameroon national football team|Cameroon]] on June 14, 2010. The record was broken again when 3,085 tweets per second were posted after the [[Los Angeles Lakers]]' victory in the [[2010 NBA Finals]] on June 17, 2010,<ref>{{Cite news|last=Miller|first=Claire Cain|title=Sports Fans Break Records on Twitter|url=http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/06/18/sports-fans-break-records-on-twitter/|publisher=Bits ([[blog]] of [[The New York Times]])|access-date=February 7, 2011|date=June 18, 2010}}</ref> and then again at the close of Japan's victory over [[Denmark national football team|Denmark]] in the World Cup when users published 3,283 tweets per second.<ref>{{Cite news|author=Van Grove, Jennifer|url=http://mashable.com/2010/06/25/tps-record/|title=Twitter Sets New Record: 3,283 Tweets Per Second|work=[[Mashable]]|access-date=February 7, 2011|date=June 25, 2010}}</ref> The record was set again during the [[2011 FIFA Women's World Cup Final]] between [[Japan women's national football team|Japan]] and the [[United States women's national soccer team|United States]], when 7,196 tweets per second were published.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://espn.go.com/sports/soccer/news/_/id/6779582/women-world-cup-final-breaks-twitter-record |title=Women's World Cup Final breaks Twitter record |publisher=[[ESPN (United States)|ESPN]] |date=July 18, 2011 |access-date=July 31, 2011}}</ref> When American singer [[Michael Jackson]] died on June 25, 2009, Twitter servers crashed after users were updating their status to include the words "Michael Jackson" at a rate of 100,000 tweets per hour.<ref>{{cite news|last=Shiels |first=Maggie |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8120324.stm |title=Web Slows After Jackson's Death |work=[[BBC News]] |date=June 26, 2009 |access-date=February 7, 2011}}</ref> The current record as of August 3, 2013, was set in Japan, with 143,199 tweets per second during a television screening of the movie ''[[Castle in the Sky]]''<ref name="raffi" /> (beating the previous record of 33,388, also set by Japan for the television screening of the same movie).<ref>{{cite news|last= Kanalley|first= Craig|url=https://huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/02/tweets-per-second-record_n_2396915.html |title=Tweets-Per-Second Record Set By Japan, Korea On New Year's Day 2013 |work=[[The Huffington Post]] |date=January 2, 2013 |access-date=January 3, 2013}}</ref>


The first unassisted off-Earth Twitter message was posted from the [[International Space Station]] by [[NASA]] [[astronaut]] [[Timothy Creamer|T. J. Creamer]] on January 22, 2010.<ref>[[Press release]] (January 22, 2010). [http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2010/jan/HQ_M10-011_Hawaii221169.html "Media Advisory M10-012 – NASA Extends the World Wide Web Out into Space"]. [[NASA]]. Retrieved February 5, 2011.</ref> By late November 2010, an average of a dozen updates per day were posted on the astronauts' communal account, @NASA_Astronauts. NASA has also hosted over 25 [[NASA Social|"tweetups"]], events that provide guests with VIP access to NASA facilities and speakers with the goal of leveraging participants' social networks to further the outreach goals of NASA. In August 2010, the company appointed Adam Bain from [[News Corporation (1980–2013)|News Corp.]]'s [[News Corp. Digital Media|Fox Audience Network]] as president of revenue.<ref>{{cite web |first=Michael |last=Arrington |url=https://techcrunch.com/2010/08/23/twitter-hires-adam-bain-away-from-news-corp-as-president-of-revenue/ |title=Twitter Hires Adam Bain Away from News Corp. as President of Revenue |work=[[TechCrunch]] |publisher=[[AOL]] |date=August 23, 2010 |access-date=February 5, 2011 |author-link=Michael Arrington}}</ref>{{Relevance inline|discuss=What does this have to do with previous discussion of growth? This note seems better suited for placement elsewhere in the article.|date=June 2021}}
On October 4, 2010, Evan Williams announced that he would not be CEO any more. Dick Costolo became the new CEO. He had been COO of Twitter. Williams will stay with the company and work on plans for the future of Twitter.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://blog.twitter.com/2010/10/newtwitterceo.html |title=#newtwitterceo |publisher= blog.twitter.com |date=October 4, 2010 |access-date= 6 October 2010}}</ref>


Twitter acquired application developer Atebits on April 11, 2010. Atebits had developed the [[Apple Design Award]]-winning Twitter client [[Tweetie]] for the [[Macintosh|Mac]] and [[iPhone]]. The application, now called "Twitter" and distributed free of charge, is the official Twitter client for the iPhone, [[iPad]] and Mac.<ref>{{Cite news|author=Miller, Claire Cain|url=http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/04/09/twitter-acquires-atebits-maker-of-tweetie/|title=Twitter Acquires Atebits, Maker of Tweetie |date= April 11, 2010|access-date=February 7, 2011 | publisher=Bits ([[blog]] of [[The New York Times]])}}</ref>
In April 2022, [[Elon Musk]] became the company's owner after buying it for USD $44 billion.<ref name=elon/>


=== 2010–2014 ===
==Overview==
From September through October 2010, the company began rolling out "New Twitter", an entirely revamped edition of twitter.com. Changes included the ability to see pictures and videos without leaving Twitter itself by clicking on individual tweets which contain links to images and clips from a variety of supported websites including [[YouTube]] and [[Flickr]], and a complete overhaul of the interface, which shifted links such as '@mentions' and 'Retweets' above the Twitter stream, while 'Messages' and 'Log Out' became accessible via a black bar at the very top of twitter.com. As of November 1, 2010, the company confirmed that the "New Twitter experience" had been rolled out to all users. In 2019, Twitter was announced to be the 10th most downloaded mobile app of the decade, from 2010 to 2019.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnet.com/news/10-most-downloaded-apps-of-the-decade-facebook-dominated-2010-2019/|title=Facebook was the most-downloaded app of the decade|last=Rayome|first=Alison DeNisco|website=CNET|language=en|access-date=December 18, 2019}}</ref>
Technology author [[Steven Berlin Johnson|Steven Johnson]] described the basic way Twitter works. He called it "remarkably simple." Following is an important part of Twitter as a social network. Users' Twitter home pages show all of the tweets from people they follow. The tweets appear from newest to oldest. Johnson said:<ref name='twitterchangesthewaywelive'>{{Cite magazine | title=How Twitter Will Change the Way We Live | date=June 5, 2009 | url=http://www.time.com/time/printout/0,8816,1902604,00.html | magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] | access-date=23 October 2010 | archive-date=16 October 2010 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101016165348/http://www.time.com/time/printout/0,8816,1902604,00.html | url-status=dead }}</ref>


On April 5, 2011, Twitter tested a new homepage and phased out the "Old Twitter".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/05/new-twitter-homepage_n_845110.html |title=Twitter Users Report Twitter.com Has A New Homepage (SCREENSHOTS) |work=The Huffington Post |date=May 4, 2011 |access-date=May 22, 2011 |first=Dean |last=Praetorius}}</ref> However, a glitch came about after the page was launched, so the previous "retro" homepage was still in use until the issues were resolved; the new homepage was reintroduced on April 20.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Dunn |first=John E |url=http://www.pcworld.com/article/224410/twitter_delays_homepage_revamp_after_service_glitch.html |title=Twitter Delays Homepage Revamp After Service Glitch |magazine=PCWorld |date=April 6, 2011 |access-date=May 22, 2011 |archive-date=May 10, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110510080610/http://www.pcworld.com/article/224410/twitter_delays_homepage_revamp_after_service_glitch.html |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.webpronews.com/new-twitter-homepage-2011-04|title=New Twitter Homepage Launched|first=Chris|last=Crum|date=April 20, 2011|access-date=April 25, 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110424083859/http://www.webpronews.com/new-twitter-homepage-2011-04|archive-date=April 24, 2011}}</ref> On December 8, 2011, Twitter overhauled its website once more to feature the "Fly" design, which the service says is easier for new users to follow and promotes advertising. In addition to the ''Home'' tab, the ''Connect'' and ''Discover'' tabs were introduced along with a redesigned profile and timeline of Tweets. The site's layout has been compared to that of [[Facebook]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://fly.twitter.com/ |title=Twitter: Yours to discover |publisher=Fly.twitter.com |access-date=January 20, 2012 |archive-date=January 18, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120118201742/http://fly.twitter.com/ |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.foxnews.com/tech/twitter-2-0-everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-new-changes |title=Twitter 2.0: Everything You Need to Know About the New Changes |work=Fox News |date=April 7, 2010 |access-date=January 20, 2012}}</ref> On February 21, 2012, it was announced that Twitter and [[Yandex]] agreed to a partnership. Yandex, a Russian search engine, finds value within the partnership due to Twitter's real time news feeds. Twitter's director of business development explained that it is important to have Twitter content where Twitter users go.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/twitter-yandex-idUSL5E8DK89H20120221|title=Twitter partners with Yandex for real-time search|work=Reuters|date=February 21, 2012|access-date=July 2, 2017|archive-date=September 24, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924162436/http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/02/21/twitter-yandex-idUSL5E8DK89H20120221|url-status=live}}</ref> On March 21, 2012, Twitter celebrated its sixth birthday while also announcing that it had 140&nbsp;million users and 340&nbsp;million tweets per day. The number of users was up 40% from their September 2011 number, which was said to have been at 100&nbsp;million at the time.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mashable.com/2012/03/21/twitter-has-140-million-users/|title=Twitter Says It Has 140 Million Users|date=March 21, 2012|work=Mashable}}</ref>
{{Quote|If you follow 20 people, you'll see a mix of tweets <nowiki>moving</nowiki> down the page: breakfast-cereal updates, interesting new links, music recommendations, even <nowiki>thoughts</nowiki> on the future of education.}}


On June 5, 2012, a modified logo was unveiled through the company blog, removing the text to showcase the slightly redesigned bird as the sole symbol of Twitter.<ref>{{cite web |first=Salvador |last=Rodriguez |title=Twitter flips the bird, adopts new logo |url=https://latimes.com/business/technology/la-fi-tn-twitter-new-bird-20120606%2C0%2C2138652.story |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120712062434/http://www.latimes.com/business/technology/la-fi-tn-twitter-new-bird-20120606%2C0%2C2138652.story |website=[[Los Angeles Times]]  |date=June 6, 2012 |archive-date=July 12, 2012 |url-status=dead |access-date=May 5, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |first=Scott |last=Gilbertson |title=Twitter's New Logo Inspires Parodies, CSS Greatness |url=https://www.wired.com/2012/06/twitters-new-logo-inspires-parodies-css-greatness/ |magazine=Wired |date=June 8, 2012 |access-date=May 5, 2017}}</ref> On December 18, 2012, Twitter announced it had surpassed 200&nbsp;million [[monthly active users]]. Twitter hit 100&nbsp;million monthly active users in September 2011.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mashable.com/2012/12/18/twitter-200-million-active-users/|title=Twitter Now Has More Than 200 Million Monthly Active Users|date=December 18, 2012|work=Mashable}}</ref>
===People who use Twitter===
Twitter is mainly used by older adults who might not have used other social sites before Twitter. Jeremiah Owyang studies social media. He said, "Adults are just catching up to what teens have been doing for years."<ref name='teensdonttweet'>{{Cite news |first= Claire Cain |last=Miller |title=Who's Driving Twitter's Popularity? Not Teens |date=August 25, 2009 |url= https://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/26/technology/internet/26twitter.html |work=The New York Times |access-date= September 18, 2009 }}</ref> Only 11% of Twitter's users were 12 to 17 years old in September 2009.<ref name='teensdonttweet' /> This may be because Twitter first gained popularity in businesses and news media that attract more older people. Many famous people such as [[Shaquille O'Neal|Shaq]], [[Britney Spears]], and [[Ashton Kutcher]] are Twitter users.<ref name='comscore'>{{Cite news |first= Andrew |last= Lipsman |title= What Ashton vs. CNN Foretold about the Changing Demographics of Twitter |date= September 2, 2009 |url= http://blog.comscore.com/2009/09/changing_demographics_of_twitter.html |work= [[comScore]] |access-date= September 18, 2009 |archive-date= September 7, 2009 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090907004801/http://blog.comscore.com/2009/09/changing_demographics_of_twitter.html |url-status= dead }}</ref>


On January 28, 2013, Twitter acquired [[Crashlytics]] in order to build out its mobile developer products.<ref name="crashlytics">{{Cite news|url=https://xconomy.com/boston/2013/02/05/twitters-boston-acquisitions-crashlytics-tops-100m-bluefin-labs-close-behind/|title=Twitter's Boston Acquisitions: Crashlytics Tops $100M, Bluefin Labs Close Behind|date=February 5, 2013|newspaper=[[Xconomy]]|language=en-US|access-date=November 22, 2021|last=T. Huang|first=Gregory}}</ref> On April 18, 2013, Twitter launched a music app called Twitter Music for the iPhone.<ref>{{cite web|last=Ulanoff|first=Lance|title=Twitter Launches Twitter #music App and Service|url=http://mashable.com/2013/04/18/twitter-music-launch-2/|publisher=Mashable|access-date=April 28, 2013|work=[[Mashable]]|date=April 18, 2013}}</ref> On August 28, 2013, Twitter acquired Trendrr,<ref>{{cite news | url=https://thenextweb.com/twitter/2013/08/28/twitter-acquires-real-time-social-data-company-trendrr-to-help-it-better-tap-into-tv-and-media/ | title=Twitter acquires real-time social data company Trendrr to help it better tap into TV and media | work=The Next web | date=August 28, 2013 | access-date=August 29, 2013}}</ref> followed by the acquisition of MoPub on September 9, 2013.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://money.cnn.com/2013/09/10/technology/social/twitter-acquisition/index.html | title=Twitter makes another acquisition | work=CNN Money | access-date=September 10, 2013 | first=Chris | last=Isidore | date=September 10, 2013}}</ref> As of September 2013, the company's data showed that 200&nbsp;million users sent over 400&nbsp;million tweets daily, with nearly 60% of tweets sent from mobile devices.<ref>{{cite news|title=Twitter files for IPO in first stage of stock market launch|url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2013/sep/12/twitter-ipo-stock-market-launch?CMP=EMCNEWEML6619I2&et_cid=48826&et_rid=7107573&Linkid=http%3a%2f%2fwww.theguardian.com%2ftechnology%2f2013%2fsep%2f12%2ftwitter-ipo-stock-market-launch|access-date=September 13, 2013|newspaper=The Guardian|date=September 12, 2013|first=Heidi|last=Moore}}</ref>
In June 2009, more women than men used Twitter—53% women; 47% men. Only 5% of users made 75% of all tweets. Also, [[New York City]] had the most Twitter users.<ref>{{cite web |author=Cheng, Alex |author2= Evans, Mark |title=An In-Depth Look Inside the Twitter World |date=June 2009 |url=http://www.sysomos.com/insidetwitter |access-date= June 17, 2010}}</ref>


During [[Super Bowl XLVII]] on February 3, 2013, the power went out in the [[Mercedes-Benz Superdome]] [[Mondelez International]] vice president Lisa Mann was asked to tweet, "You can still dunk in the dark", referring to [[Oreo]] cookies. She approved, and as she told ''[[Ad Age]]'' in 2020, "literally the world changed when I woke up the next morning." This became a milestone in the development of commenting daily on culture.<ref>{{cite journal|title=Q&AA: The CMO Fixer: After working for major marketers, Lisa Mann now places CMOs and other executives. She gives her take on what's ailing top brands and what companies are looking for in top execs|last=Schultz|first=E.J.|journal=[[Ad Age]]|date=October 5, 2020|page=6|volume=91|issue=19}}</ref>
This is a brief summary of Twitter users as of 3 September 2009.
*Total users: 27 million
*Age: 63% of Twitter users were less than 35 years old
*Race: 60% of Twitter users were [[Caucasian]]. 16% were [[African American]]. That is higher than other Internet sites. [[Hispanic]] users were 11%.
*Income: 58% of Twitter users had a total household income of at least $60K.<ref>{{cite web |author=Bluff Brian |title=Who Uses Twitter? |date=May 2010 |url=http://www.site-seeker.com/_blogs/who-uses-twitter-demographic/ |access-date=Sep 22, 2010 |archive-date=May 31, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100531203517/http://www.site-seeker.com/_blogs/who-uses-twitter-demographic/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>


=== 2014–2020 ===
===Popularity===
In April 2014, Twitter underwent a redesign that made the site resemble Facebook somewhat, with profile picture and biography in a column left to the timeline, and a full-width header image with [[parallax scrolling]] effect.{{efn|It is not documented whether the parallax scrolling effect was added with the redesign in April 2014 or subsequently.}}  That layout was used as main for the desktop front end until July 2019, undergoing changes over time such as removal of shortcut buttons to jump to the previous or next tweet in early 2017, and rounded profile pictures since June 2017.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/*/https://twitter.com/twitter/status/738501397658800128 Tweet page archive, 2016–]</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/2014/4/8/5593102/twitter-web-profile-redesign|title=Twitter redesign looks a lot like Facebook|first=Vlad|last=Savov|date=April 8, 2014|website=The Verge}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Twitter-like Header Parallax Effect Using Pure CSS / CSS3 |url=https://www.cssscript.com/twitter-like-header-parallax-effect-using-pure-css-css3/ |website=CSS Script |date=May 19, 2015}}</ref>
Twitter is one of the 10 most visited websites in the world.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/twitter.com | title=Twitter.com – Traffic Details from Alexa | publisher=[[Alexa Internet]] | date=August 26, 2010 | access-date=August 26, 2010 | archive-date=November 4, 2019 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191104080228/https://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/twitter.com | url-status=dead }}</ref>


In April 2015, the Twitter.com desktop homepage changed.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://blog.twitter.com/en_us/a/2015/twittercom-gets-a-refresh.html|title=Twitter.com gets a refresh|website=blog.twitter.com|access-date=July 30, 2019}}</ref> Later in the year it became apparent that growth had slowed, according to Fortune,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://fortune.com/2015/10/29/twitter-growth/|title=What if the Twitter growth everyone is hoping for never comes?|first=Matthew|last=Ingram|magazine=Fortune|date=October 25, 2015|access-date=September 23, 2016}}</ref> Business Insider,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/twitter-user-growth-continues-to-stall-2015-10|title=Twitter user growth continues to stall|first1=Laurie|last1=Beaver|first2=Margaret|last2=Boland|website=Business Insider|date=October 28, 2015|access-date=September 23, 2016}}</ref> Marketing Land<ref>{{cite web|url=http://marketingland.com/revenue-is-up-but-twitter-still-struggling-in-slow-growth-mode-148852|title=Revenue Is Up, But Twitter Is Still Struggling In Slow Growth Mode|first=Martin|last=Beck|publisher=Marketing Land|date=October 27, 2015|access-date=September 23, 2016}}</ref> and other news websites including Quartz (in 2016).<ref>{{cite news|url=http://qz.com/614607/twitter-now-has-a-problem-thats-way-worse-than-slow-user-growth/|title=Twitter now has a problem that's way worse than slow user growth|first=Alice|last=Truong|work=Quartz|date=February 10, 2016|access-date=September 23, 2016}}</ref>
===Logging in===
 
People can use software from other companies to access Twitter. These programs are called ''[[third-party applications]]''. The Twitter company changed the way this works on 31 August 2010. Now applications must use [[OAuth]] to connect to Twitter. This method means that users do not have to give their [[password]]s to the third-party applications. Changing the [[login]] system to OAuth did cause some problems. Using OAuth had been optional and programs used to be able to ask for usernames and passwords. However, now third-party applications that try to use a username and password do not work at all. The Twitter company said that using OAuth will give users "increased security and a better experience."<ref>{{cite web| url=http://blog.twitter.com/2010/08/twitter-applications-and-oauth.html| title= Twitter Applications and OAuth | publisher=Twitter | date=August 30, 2010 | access-date=Sep 13, 2010}}</ref>
Since May 2018, tweet replies deemed by an [[artificial intelligence]] to be detractive from conversation are initially hidden, and only loaded through actuating a {{button|Show more replies}} button at the bottom.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Oremus |first1=Will |title=Twitter Will Start Hiding Tweets That "Detract From the Conversation" |url=https://slate.com/technology/2018/05/twitter-will-start-hiding-tweets-that-detract-from-the-conversation.html |website=Slate Magazine |language=en |date=May 15, 2018}}</ref>
 
In 2019, Twitter released another redesign of its user interface<ref>{{Cite web |title=Like It or Not, You're Getting Twitter's Redesigned Website Soon |url=https://www.pcmag.com/news/like-it-or-not-youre-getting-twitters-redesigned-website-soon |access-date=August 25, 2020 |website=PCMAG |language=en}}</ref> and ended support for [[TLS 1.0]] and [[TLS 1.1|1.1]] connections.<ref>{{cite web |date=July 12, 2019 |title=Twitter will deprecate support for TLS 1.0, TLS 1.1 on July 15 |url=https://www.thesslstore.com/blog/twitter-will-deprecate-support-for-tls-1-0-tls-1-1-on-july-15/ |website=Hashed Out by The SSL Store™}}</ref>
 
===2020–2022===
Twitter experienced considerable growth in 2020, possibly due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Q2 2020 Letter to Shareholders, July 23, 2020, @TwitterIR |url=https://s22.q4cdn.com/826641620/files/doc_financials/2020/q2/Q2-2020-Shareholder-Letter.pdf |publisher=Twitter |access-date=March 14, 2022}}</ref> The platform also was increasingly used for [[Misinformation related to the COVID-19 pandemic|misinformation related to the pandemic]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Full Page Reload|url=https://spectrum.ieee.org/tech-talk/telecom/internet/twitter-bots-are-spreading-massive-amounts-of-covid-19-misinformation|access-date=August 26, 2020|website=IEEE Spectrum: Technology, Engineering, and Science News|date=July 29, 2020|language=en}}</ref> Twitter announced in March 2020 that it would start marking tweets which may contain misleading information, in some cases it will provide links to pages of fact-checking information.<ref name="twitter misinformation">{{cite web | url = https://blog.twitter.com/en_us/topics/product/2020/updating-our-approach-to-misleading-information.html | title = Updating our Approach to Misleading Information | first1 = Yoel | last1= Roth | first2= Nick | last2 = Pickles | date = May 11, 2020 | access-date = May 28, 2020 | publisher = Twitter }}</ref>
 
A [[2020 Twitter bitcoin scam|major hack of Twitter]] on July 15, 2020, affected 130 high-profile accounts, both verified and unverified ones such as [[Barack Obama]], [[Bill Gates]], and [[Elon Musk]]; the hack allowed [[bitcoin]] scammers to send tweets via the compromised accounts that asked the followers to send bitcoin to a given public address, with the promise to double their money.<ref name="Statt">{{Cite web|last=Statt|first=Nick|date=July 15, 2020|title=Barack Obama, Joe Biden, Elon Musk, Apple, and others hacked in unprecedented Twitter attack|url=https://www.theverge.com/2020/7/15/21326200/elon-musk-bill-gates-twitter-hack-bitcoin-scam-compromised|access-date=July 15, 2020|website=The Verge}}</ref> Within a few hours, Twitter disabled tweeting and reset passwords from all verified accounts.<ref name="Statt"/> Analysis of the event revealed that the scammers had used [[social engineering (security)|social engineering]] to obtain credentials from Twitter employees to access an administration tool used by Twitter to view and change these accounts' personal details as to gain access as part of a "[[smash and grab]]" attempt to make money quickly, with an estimated {{USD|120,000}} in bitcoin deposited in various accounts before Twitter intervened.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Conger |first1=Kate |last2=Popper |first2=Nathaniel |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/17/technology/twitter-hackers-interview.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200717210005/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/17/technology/twitter-hackers-interview.html |archive-date=July 17, 2020 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Hackers Tell the Story of the Twitter Attack From the Inside |date=July 17, 2020 |access-date=July 17, 2020 |work=[[The New York Times]] }}</ref> Several law enforcement entities including the FBI launched investigations into the attack to determine the perpetrators over concerns of broader implications of such a hack in the future.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/fbi-investigates-twitter-hack-amid-broader-concerns-about-platforms-security-11594922537 |title=FBI Investigates Twitter Hack Amid Broader Concerns About Platform's Security |first1=Robert |last1=McMillan |first2=Dustin |last2=Volz |date=July 19, 2020 |access-date=July 7, 2020 |work=[[The Wall Street Journal]]}}</ref>
 
On June 1, 2020, Twitter deactivated the legacy desktop front end of their web site that had originally been introduced in 2014,<ref>{{cite news |title=Twitter warns of legacy site theme shuting down on June 1 |url=https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/technology/twitter-warns-of-legacy-site-theme-shutting-down-on-june-1/ |website=BleepingComputer |language=en-us}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=April 23 |first1=Erin Carson in Social Enterprise on |title=Twitter's new oversized profiles: 6 ways to keep it professional |url=https://www.techrepublic.com/article/twitters-new-oversized-profiles-6-ways-to-keep-it-professional/ |website=TechRepublic |date=April 23, 2014 |language=en}}</ref> leaving the [[progressive web app]] version which was originally introduced in April 2017 as "Twitter Lite" for mobile phones<ref>{{cite web |title=Introducing Twitter Lite |url=https://blog.twitter.com/en_us/topics/product/2017/introducing-twitter-lite.html |website=blog.twitter.com |language=en-us |date=April 6, 2017 |first1=Patrick |last1=Traughber }}</ref> and used by default since July 2019<ref>{{cite web |title=Twitter Starts Rolling Out Updated Website With New Design |url=https://www.macrumors.com/2019/07/15/twitter-launches-new-web-design/ |website=MacRumors |language=en}}</ref> as the only option.
 
In November 2020, Twitter announced that it would develop a social audio feature on its platform.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Twitter rolls out Stories, aka 'Fleets,' to all users; will also test a Clubhouse rival|url=https://social.techcrunch.com/2020/11/17/twitter-rolls-out-stories-aka-fleets-to-all-users-will-also-test-a-clubhouse-rival/|access-date=August 9, 2021|website=TechCrunch|language=en-US}}</ref> Later, In  December 2020, Twitter began beta testing its social audio feature known as Spaces with iOS users on their platform.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Twitter launches its voice-based 'Spaces' social networking feature into beta testing|url=https://social.techcrunch.com/2020/12/17/twitter-launches-its-voice-based-spaces-social-networking-feature-into-beta-testing/|access-date=August 9, 2021|website=TechCrunch|language=en-US}}</ref>
 
"M2 Mobile Web", the original mobile web front end of Twitter, later served as [[adaptive web design|fallback]] legacy version to [[client (computing)|clients]] without [[JavaScript]] support and incompatible browsers such as [[game console]]s with limited web browsing capability. It was shut down in December 2020.<ref>{{cite web |title=Legacy Twitter Shutdown Means You Can't Tweet From The 3DS Anymore |url=https://screenrant.com/twitter-legacy-nintendo-3ds-shut-down-date-december-2020/ |website=ScreenRant |access-date=June 13, 2021 |date=November 28, 2020}}</ref>
 
{{Further|Social media use by Donald Trump#Twitter}}
[[File:Donald_J_Trump_(realDonaldTrump)_Twitter_-_публикация_от_2020-05-26.png|right|thumb|The two tweets on May 26, 2020, from President Trump that Twitter had marked "potentially misleading" (inserting the blue warning icon and "Get the facts..." language) that led to the executive order]]
After US president [[Donald Trump]] had used his Twitter account on May 26, 2020, to issue a statement related to possible fraud associated with [[Postal voting|mail-in voting]] ahead of the upcoming 2020 primary elections. Twitter moderators marked Trump's tweets as "potentially misleading" and added links to a dedicated page with additional articles from other news sources on mail-in voting, the first time they had marked Trump's tweets as such.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Lybrand |first1=Holmes |last2=Subramaniam |first2=Tara |date=May 27, 2020 |title=Fact-checking Trump's recent claims that mail-in voting is rife with fraud |url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/27/app-politics-section/donald-trump-mail-in-voter-fraud-fact-check/index.html |access-date=May 28, 2020 |work=[[CNN]]}}</ref> Trump, who had previously alleged Twitter, and other technology companies, have an anti-conservative bias,<ref>{{cite news |last=Romm |first=Tony |date=July 11, 2019 |title=Trump accuses social media companies of 'terrible bias' at White House summit decried by critics |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2019/07/11/we-will-not-let-them-get-away-with-it-trump-threatens-social-media-ahead-white-house-summit/ |access-date=May 28, 2020}}</ref> announced his intention to enact regulations to take action against Twitter. Two days later, on May 28, 2020, Trump signed "Executive Order on Preventing Online Censorship"<ref>{{cite web |title=Executive Order on Preventing Online Censorship |url=https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/presidential-actions/executive-order-preventing-online-censorship/ |access-date=May 29, 2020 |work=[[whitehouse.gov]] |via=[[NARA|National Archives]]}}</ref> aimed to impact the protections of [[Section 230]] of the [[Communications Decency Act]] which Twitter and other social media sites have to avoid liability for dealing with moderation of user content on their platforms.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Allyn |first1=Bobby |date=May 28, 2020 |title=Stung By Twitter, Trump Signs Executive Order To Weaken Social Media Companies |newspaper=NPR |publisher=National Public Radio |url=https://www.npr.org/2020/05/28/863932758/stung-by-twitter-trump-signs-executive-order-to-weaken-social-media-companies |access-date=May 29, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=rump signs executive order targeting social media companies |url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/28/politics/trump-twitter-social-media-executive-order/index.html |access-date=May 29, 2020 |website=CNN |date=May 28, 2020 |publisher=CNN}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Conger |first1=Kate |last2=Isaac |first2=Mike |date=May 28, 2020 |title=Defying Trump, Twitter Doubles Down on Labeling Tweets |website=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/28/technology/trump-twitter-fact-check.html |url-status=live |url-access=subscription |access-date=May 29, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200528160018/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/28/technology/trump-twitter-fact-check.html |archive-date=May 28, 2020}}</ref>
 
Twitter was among the platforms associated with the [[2021 United States Capitol attack|storming of the United States Capitol]] on January 6, 2021. According to the Associated Press, "federal law enforcement authorities said that there was activity on Twitter, but that they weren't expecting the level of violence they ultimately saw last Wednesday."<ref>{{Cite web|date=January 13, 2021|title=FBI says it warned about prospect of violence ahead of riot|url=https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-law-enforcement-agencies-violence-riots-michael-pence-e8db41cc9d48907d4472cca1d4c00dfd|access-date=January 14, 2021|website=AP NEWS}}</ref> This led to [[Social media use by Donald Trump#Permanent suspension|Trump being suspended from Twitter]] for glorifying violence, among other reasons such as false allegations of election fraud. According to researcher Shannon McGregor, "Twitter's permanent suspension of Trump's Twitter account is long overdue."<ref>{{Cite news|last1=Conger|first1=Kate|last2=Isaac|first2=Mike|date=January 8, 2021|title=Twitter Permanently Bans Trump, Capping Online Revolt|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/08/technology/twitter-trump-suspended.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211228/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/08/technology/twitter-trump-suspended.html |archive-date=December 28, 2021 |url-access=limited|access-date=January 31, 2021|issn=0362-4331}}{{cbignore}}</ref> However, among conservatives and some European leaders, a degree of controversy ensued over the power held by a private company over speech.<ref name=":5">{{cite news |date=January 11, 2021 |title=Germany and France Oppose Trump's Twitter Exile |newspaper=Bloomberg.com |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-01-11/merkel-sees-closing-trump-s-social-media-accounts-problematic |access-date=January 11, 2021}}</ref> Nathan Akehurst of Jacobin Magazine suggested that "Twitter profited from Donald Trump's racist outbursts for years, only to delete his account a few days before his departure".<ref>{{Cite news|date=January 9, 2021|title=Trump's Twitter downfall|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-55571291|access-date=January 31, 2021}}</ref>
 
In March 2021, Twitter started beta testing Spaces for Android users.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Twitter Spaces arrives on Android ahead of Clubhouse|url=https://social.techcrunch.com/2021/03/02/twitter-spaces-arrives-on-android-ahead-of-clubhouse/|access-date=August 9, 2021|website=TechCrunch|language=en-US}}</ref> On March 5, it was announced that Twitter was working on a feature that would offer users a short window of time to rethink a tweet after they hit send. Twitter confirmed to [[CNN]] that it is testing an undo option that could potentially let users correct or even to retract a tweet before it is posted on the site.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Murphy Kelly |first1=Samantha |title=Twitter is testing an 'undo' option after sending tweets |url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/05/tech/twitter-undo-send-timer-feature/index.html |publisher=CNN |access-date=March 8, 2021}}</ref> On May 3, 2021, Twitter Spaces was released globally.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rodriguez |first=Salvador |date=May 3, 2021 |title=Twitter launches Spaces live-audio rooms to all users with more than 600 followers |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2021/05/03/twitter-launches-spaces-live-audio-rooms-to-all-users.html |access-date=August 10, 2021 |website=CNBC |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Lyons |first=Kim |date=May 3, 2021 |title=Twitter will now let anyone with 600 or more followers host its audio Spaces on mobile |url=https://www.theverge.com/2021/5/3/22413033/twitter-spaces-android-ios-ticket-schedule-clubhouse-captions |access-date=August 10, 2021 |website=The Verge |language=en}}</ref>
 
In 2021, Twitter announced an [[open source software|open source]] initiative that could be used by any social media platform and would make [[content moderation]] more transparent with a more robust appeals process. Called ''[[Bluesky (protocol)|Bluesky]]'', the use of such an open protocol would relieve companies of the sole [[decentralization|responsibility for being centralized curators]] of content.<ref>{{cite news |title=Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey On Section 230, Transparency, Appeals And Twitter Turning 15 |url=https://deadline.com/2021/02/twitter-ceo-jack-dorsey-tougher-regs-would-hurt-all-internet-not-just-social-media-mum-on-facebook-google-antitrust-woes-focused-on-transparency-appeals-1234691610/ |last=Goldsmith|first=Jill |work=Deadline |date=February 10, 2021 |access-date=March 26, 2021 }}</ref> The Twitter research team that began work on this effort was set up in late 2019.<ref name=ddc20210210>{{cite news |title=Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey has an idealistic vision for the future of social media and is funding a small team to chase it |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2019/12/11/twitter-ceo-jack-dorsey-announces-bluesky-social-media-standards-push.html |last=Palmer|first=Annie |work=CNBC |date=December 11, 2019 |access-date=March 26, 2021 }}</ref>
 
On June 5, the [[Nigeria]]n government issued an [[Ban of Twitter in Nigeria|indefinite ban]] on Twitter usage in the country after the platform removed tweets made by the Nigerian President [[Muhammadu Buhari]].<ref>{{Cite news|title=Nigeria suspends Twitter after the social media platform freezes president's account|language=en-US|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2021/06/04/nigeria-suspends-twitter-buhari/|access-date=June 20, 2021|issn=0190-8286}}</ref> The company claimed the tweets violated its policies against "abusive behavior". Twitter called the ban "deeply concerning". Several human rights organizations, including [[Amnesty International]]<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/nigerian-telecoms-firms-suspend-twitter-access-2021-06-05/ |title=Nigerian telecoms firms suspend access to Twitter |date=June 5, 2021 |first=Chijioke |last=Ohuocha |publisher=Reuters |access-date=June 20, 2021}}</ref> and the local Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP),<ref>{{cite web |url=https://serap-nigeria.org/2021/06/04/rescind-suspension-of-twitter-in-nigeria-or-face-legal-action-serap-tells-buhari/ |title=Rescind suspension of Twitter in Nigeria or face legal action, SERAP tells Buhari |date=June 4, 2021 |access-date=June 20, 2021}}</ref> spoke out against the ban as well. The Nigerian government stated that the ban was not based solely on the removal of the tweets and was a result of "a litany of problems with the social media platform in Nigeria, where misinformation and fake news spread through it have had real world violent consequences".<ref>{{Cite web|date=June 6, 2021|title=Nigeria's Twitter ban: Government orders prosecution of violators |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-57368535 |access-date=June 20, 2021 |website=BBC News |language=en-GB}}</ref>
 
In June 2021, Twitter announced the beta rollout of its Super Follows feature. A group of users will be allowed to charge followers monthly for access to extra content, not available in their regular feed. The company also launched the Ticketed Spaces program in beta, a premium version of its audio room feature Spaces, which makes access to certain audio rooms paid.<ref>{{Cite web|date=June 22, 2021 |last=Robertson |first=Adi |title=Twitter is opening applications to test Ticketed Spaces and Super Follows |url=https://www.theverge.com/2021/6/22/22545167/twitter-opens-super-follows-ticketed-spaces-new-feature-test-application-ios-android |access-date=June 23, 2021 |website=The Verge |language=en-US}}</ref>
 
Twitter rolled out changes in the interface on August 11, 2021. Among adjustments in color uses, the major change was converting to their new Chirp font, designed to allow left-alignment of most Western languages as to make browsing of tweets easier to follow.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.engadget.com/twitter-redesign-chirp-202504463.html | title = Twitter rolls out redesign with proprietary Chirp font | first = Igor | last =Bonifac | date = August 11, 2021 | access-date = August 11, 2021 | work = [[Engadget]] }}</ref>
 
An October 21, 2021, report based on a "long-running, massive-scale randomized experiment" that analyzed "millions of tweets sent between 1 April and 15 August 2020", found that Twitter's machine learning algorithm amplified right-leaning politics on personalized user Home timelines.<ref name="Huszár_20211021">{{Cite journal| pages = 27| last1 = Huszár| first1 = Ferenc| last2 = Ktena| first2 = Sofia Ira| last3 = O’Brien| first3 = Conor| last4 = Belli| first4 = Luca| last5 = Schlaikjer| first5 = Andrew| last6 = Hardt| first6 = Moritz| title = Algorithmic Amplification of Politics on Twitter |url=https://cdn.cms-twdigitalassets.com/content/dam/blog-twitter/official/en_us/company/2021/rml/Algorithmic-Amplification-of-Politics-on-Twitter.pdf |journal=Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences |date=October 21, 2021 | volume = 119| issue = 1|access-date=October 23, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211022224400/https://cdn.cms-twdigitalassets.com/content/dam/blog-twitter/official/en_us/company/2021/rml/Algorithmic-Amplification-of-Politics-on-Twitter.pdf |archive-date=October 23, 2021 |doi=10.1073/pnas.2025334119| pmid = 34934011| pmc = 8740571| arxiv = 2110.11010}}</ref>{{rp|1}}<ref name="BBC_20211022">{{Cite news| title = Twitter's algorithm favours right-leaning politics, research finds| work = BBC News| access-date = October 23, 2021| date = October 22, 2021| url = https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-59011271}}</ref> The report compared seven countries with active Twitter users where data was available—Germany, Canada, the United Kingdom, Japan, France, and Spain—and examined Tweets "from major political groups and politicians".<ref name="Huszár_20211021"/>{{rp|4}} Researchers used the 2019 Chapel Hill Expert Survey (CHESDATA) to position parties on political ideology within each country.<ref name="Huszár_20211021"/>{{rp|4}} The "machine learning algorithms"—introduced by Twitter in 2016—personalized 99% of users' feeds by displaying Tweets—even older Tweets and Retweets from accounts the user had not directly followed—but that the algorithm had "deemed relevant" to the users' past preferences.<ref name="Huszár_20211021"/>{{rp|4}} Twitter randomly chose 1% of users whose Home timelines displayed content in reverse-chronological order from users they directly followed.<ref name="Huszár_20211021"/>{{rp|2}}
 
In May 2022, Twitter agreed to pay $150 million to settle a lawsuit started by the Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission. The lawsuit concerned Twitter's use of email addresses and phone numbers of Twitter users to target advertisements at them. The company also agreed to third-party audits of its data privacy program.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Robertson |first1=Adi |title=Twitter will pay $150 million for using people's security phone numbers to target ads |url=https://www.theverge.com/2022/5/25/23141968/ftc-doj-twitter-settlement-phone-number-security-ad-targeting |website=The Verge |date=May 25, 2022 |access-date=May 26, 2022}}</ref>
 
In June 2022, it was announced that Twitter had formed a partnership agreement with [[Shopify]], a Canadian e-commerce company. Through the partnership, Twitter stated it would launch a sales channel app for U.S. Shopify merchants. <ref>{{Cite web |title=Twitter partners with Shopify to bring merchants’ products to Twitter Shopping |url=https://social.techcrunch.com/2022/06/22/twitter-partners-with-shopify-to-bring-merchants-products-to-twitter-shopping/ |access-date=2022-06-23 |website=TechCrunch |language=en-US}}</ref>
 
===2022–present: Proposed acquisition by Elon Musk===
{{Further|Proposed acquisition of Twitter by Elon Musk}}
Business magnate [[Elon Musk]] revealed that he had bought 9.1% of Twitter for $2.64 billion on April 4, 2022.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1418091/000110465922041911/tm2211482d1_sc13g.htm|title=U.S. SEC: Schedule 13G |publisher=[[U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission]]|date= April 4, 2022|access-date=April 24, 2022}}</ref><ref name="sec-13-d">{{cite web|url=https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1418091/000110465922042863/tm2211757d1_sc13d.htm|title=U.S. SEC: Schedule 13D: Amendment No. 1 to Schedule 13G |publisher=[[U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission]]|date=April 4, 2022|access-date=April 24, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Elon Musk spent $2.64 billion on Twitter shares so far this year, new filing shows |date=April 5, 2022 |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2022/04/05/elon-musk-spent-2point64-billion-on-twitter-shares-so-far-this-year-new-filing-shows.html |access-date=April 7, 2022 |publisher=CNBC |language=en-US}}</ref> In response, Twitter's stock rose by as much as 27% and Twitter shares experienced the largest intraday surge since Twitter's IPO in 2013.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Turner |first1=Giles |last2=Trudell |first2=Craig |date=April 2, 2022 |title=Elon Musk Takes 9.2% Stake in Twitter After Hinting at Shake-Up |agency=Bloomberg |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-04-04/musk-takes-9-2-stake-in-twitter-after-questioning-platform |access-date=April 4, 2022}}</ref> Musk was offered a seat on Twitter's board of directors as part of a deal that prohibited him from acquiring more than 14.9% of the company,<ref name="sec-13-d" /><ref name=":9">{{Cite news |last=Corfield |first=Gareth |date=April 5, 2022 |title=Elon Musk to join Twitter board |language=en |work=[[The Daily Telegraph|The Telegraph]] |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2022/04/05/elon-musk-floats-idea-editing-tweets-stock-swoop/ |url-access=subscription |access-date=April 5, 2022 |issn=0307-1235}}</ref> but Musk decided not to join the board before his appointment became effective on April 9.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/0001494730/000110465922044481/tm2212422d1_sc13da.htm|title=U.S. SEC: Amendment No. 1 to Schedule 13D |publisher=[[U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission]]|date=April 9, 2022|access-date=April 24, 2022}}</ref>
 
Musk then made an unsolicited offer on April 14 to acquire Twitter for $43 billion and take the company private,<ref name="sec-13-d-2">{{cite web |url=https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/0001418091/000110465922045641/tm2212748d1_sc13da.htm |title=U.S. SEC: Amendment No. 2 to Schedule 13D |publisher=[[U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission]]|date=April 13, 2022|access-date=April 14, 2022}}</ref> saying that he believed in the importance of [[free speech]] for democracy around the world. In a [[TED (conference)|TED]] interview, Musk showed little interest in fighting [[internet censorship]] around the world, saying that "Twitter should match the laws of the country". Instead, Musk's concern about free speech has been directed almost entirely at Twitter's [[Moderation system|moderation]] policies.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Robertson |first1=Adi |title=What Elon Musk's Twitter 'free speech' promises miss |url=https://www.theverge.com/2022/4/15/23025120/elon-musk-twitter-free-speech-government-censorship |access-date=April 25, 2022 |work=The Verge |publisher=Vox Media |date=April 15, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Milmo |first1=Dan |title=How 'free speech absolutist' Elon Musk would transform Twitter |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2022/apr/14/how-free-speech-absolutist-elon-musk-would-transform-twitter |access-date=April 25, 2022 |work=The Guardian |date=April 14, 2022}}</ref> Twitter's board introduced a "[[Shareholder rights plan|poison pill]]" strategy on April 15, which would allow shareholders to buy additional stock should a [[hostile takeover]] occur as a means to block Musk's takeover.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/0001418091/000119312522107462/d296740d8k.htm|title=U.S. SEC: Form 8-K |publisher=[[U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission]]|date=April 15, 2022|access-date=April 25, 2022}}</ref> On April 20, Musk secured $46.5 billion as a [[tender offer]] to buy Twitter.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Telford |first1=Taylor |last2=Lerman |first2=Rachel |last3=Siddiqui |first3=Faiz |title=Twitter shares jump on reports a deal with Musk could come as soon as Monday |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/04/25/twitter-elon-musk-deal/ |access-date=April 25, 2022 |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=April 25, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1418091/000110465922048128/tm2213229d1_sc13da.htm|title=U.S. SEC: Amendment No. 3 to Schedule 13D |publisher=[[U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission]]|date=April 20, 2022|access-date=April 21, 2022}}</ref> On April 25, it was reported that Twitter was prepared to accept Musk's offer,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Roumeliotis |first=Greg |date=April 25, 2022 |title=Twitter set to accept Musk's $43 billion offer |language=en |work=[[Reuters]] |url=https://www.reuters.com/technology/exclusive-twitter-set-accept-musks-best-final-offer-sources-2022-04-25/|access-date=April 25, 2022}}</ref> with the board publicly accepting the offer later that day.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Wells |first1=Georgia |last2=Lombardo |first2=Cara |last3=Bobrowsky |first3=Meghan |title=Twitter and Elon Musk Strike Deal for Takeover |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/twitter-and-elon-musk-strike-deal-for-takeover-11650912837?mod=hp_lead_pos1 |work=The Wall Street Journal |date=April 25, 2022}}</ref>
 
Musk has stated that his first plan is to open-source the algorithm that ranks tweets in the content feed, in order to increase transparency.  He has stated intention to remove the spam bots, and to authenticate all real humans.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Feiner |first=Lauren |date=April 25, 2022 |title=Twitter accepts Elon Musk's buyout deal |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2022/04/25/twitter-accepts-elon-musks-buyout-deal.html |access-date=2022-04-26 |website=CNBC |language=en}}</ref>
 
==Appearance and features==
{{Main|List of Twitter features}}
 
==={{anchor|Tweets}}Tweets===
[[File:Twitter wikipedia.png|thumb|right|The Twitter account page for Wikipedia, demonstrating the account-customized timeline view which shows tweets in reverse chronological order]]
Tweets are publicly visible by default, but senders can restrict message delivery to only their followers. Users can mute users they do not wish to interact with, block accounts from viewing their tweets and remove accounts from their followers list.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.wired.com/wiredinsider/2014/02/know-your-twitter-terms-block-vs-mute/|title=Know Your Twitter Terms: 'Block' vs. 'Mute'|magazine=Wired|access-date=July 20, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Gibbs|first=Samuel|url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/may/13/twitter-mute-unfollow-block-reason-secret-abuse|title=13 reasons to mute people on Twitter|work=The Guardian|date=May 13, 2014|access-date=July 21, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.theverge.com/2021/10/11/22721218/twitter-soft-block-remove-follower-web |title=Now every Twitter web user can 'soft block' annoying followers |work=The Verge |date=October 11, 2021 |access-date=October 12, 2021}}</ref> Users can tweet via the Twitter website, compatible external applications (such as for [[smartphone]]s), or by [[Short Message Service]] (SMS) available in certain countries.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://help.twitter.com/entries/14226-how-to-find-your-twitter-short-long-code |title=Using Twitter with Your Phone |quote=We currently support 2-way (sending and receiving) Twitter SMS via short codes and one-way (sending only) via long codes. |publisher=Twitter Support |access-date=June 1, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100315200218/http://help.twitter.com/entries/14226-how-to-find-your-twitter-short-long-code |archive-date=March 15, 2010 }}</ref> Users may subscribe to other users' tweets—this is known as "following" and subscribers are known as "followers"<ref name="lists1">{{cite web|author=Stone, Biz|url=http://blog.twitter.com/2009/10/theres-list-for-that.html |title=There's a List for That |publisher=blog.twitter.com |date=October 30, 2009 |access-date=February 1, 2010}}</ref> or "tweeps", a portmanteau of Twitter and peeps.<ref>{{cite news |author=Brown, Amanda|title=The tricky business of business tweeting|date=March 2, 2011 |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/features/2011/0302/1224291133449.html|work=The Irish Times |access-date=April 28, 2011}}</ref> Individual tweets can be forwarded by other users to their own feed, a process known as a "retweet". In 2015, Twitter launched "quote tweet" (originally called "retweet with comment"),<ref name=verge-quotetweet>{{cite news |title=Twitter quote tweets are now easier to find |url=https://www.theverge.com/2020/9/1/21409925/twitter-quote-tweets-counter-retweet-with-comments-interface-ratiod |date=September 1, 2020 |last=Porter |first=Jon |access-date=May 23, 2021 |work=The Verge}}</ref> a feature that allows users to add a comment to their retweet, nesting one tweet in the other.<ref>{{cite news |title= Twitter Officially Launches Its "Retweet With Comment" Feature |url= https://techcrunch.com/2015/04/06/retweetception/ |date=April 7, 2015 |last=Shu |first=Catherine |access-date=May 22, 2021 |work=TechCrunch}}</ref> Users can also "[[Like button|like]]" (formerly "favorite") individual tweets.<ref>{{cite news|title=Twitter officially kills off favorites and replaces them with likes|url=https://www.theverge.com/2015/11/3/9661180/twitter-vine-favorite-fav-likes-hearts|access-date=November 4, 2015|work=The Verge|publisher=Vox Media}}</ref>
 
The counters for "likes", "retweets", and replies appear next to the respective buttons in timelines such as on profile pages and search results. Counters for likes and retweets exist on a tweet's standalone page too. Since September 2020, quote tweets, formerly known as "retweet with comment", have an own counter on their tweet page.<ref name=verge-quotetweet /> Until the legacy desktop front end that was discontinued in 2020, a row with miniature profile pictures of up to ten liking or retweeting users was displayed (earliest documented implementation in December 2011 overhaul), as well as a tweet reply counter next to the according button on a tweet's page.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Smith |first1=Catharine |title=9 Things You Need To Know About Twitter's Massive Redesign |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/twitter-new-features_n_1137850 |website=HuffPost |access-date=August 16, 2021 |language=en |date=December 8, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Diese Tweets wurden am häufigsten geteilt |url=https://www.capital.de/wirtschaft-politik/diese-tweets-wurden-am-haeufigsten-geteilt |website=Capital.de |language=de-DE |date=May 27, 2020}}</ref>
 
Twitter allows users to update their profile via their mobile phone either by text messaging or by apps released for certain smartphones and tablets.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://twitter.com/download|title=Download the free Twitter app &#124; Twitter|website=twitter.com|access-date=July 30, 2019}}</ref> Twitter has been compared to a web-based [[Internet Relay Chat]] (IRC) client.<ref>{{cite web|last=Stutzman |first=Fred |title=The 12-Minute Definitive Guide to Twitter |url=http://dev.aol.com/article/2007/04/definitive-guide-to-twitter |date=April 11, 2007 |publisher=AOL Developer Network |access-date=November 12, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080704074026/http://dev.aol.com/article/2007/04/definitive-guide-to-twitter |archive-date=July 4, 2008 }}</ref> In a 2009 ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' magazine essay, technology author [[Steven Berlin Johnson|Steven Johnson]] described the basic mechanics of Twitter as "remarkably simple":
 
{{Blockquote|As a social network, Twitter revolves around the principle of followers. When you choose to follow another Twitter user, that user's tweets appear in reverse chronological order on your main Twitter page. If you follow 20 people, you'll see a mix of tweets scrolling down the page: breakfast-cereal updates, interesting new links, music recommendations, even musings on the future of education.<ref>{{Cite news|author=Johnson, Steven | title=How Twitter Will Change the Way We Live | date=June 5, 2009 | url=http://www.time.com/time/printout/0,8816,1902604,00.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100511100916/http://www.time.com/time/printout/0,8816,1902604,00.html | url-status=dead | archive-date=May 11, 2010 | magazine = [[Time (magazine)|Time]] | access-date = February 13, 2011 | author-link=Steven Berlin Johnson }}</ref>}}
 
====Hashtags, usernames, retweets and replies====
{{Redirect|Twitter hashtag|more about hashtags|Hashtag}}
{{Further|Mention (blogging)#@ (At sign)}}
Users can group posts together by topic or type by use of [[hashtag]]s – words or phrases prefixed with a "<code>#</code>" sign. Similarly, the "<code>@</code>" sign followed by a [[username]] is used for mentioning or replying to other users.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/4698589/Twitter-how-to-set-up-your-account.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/4698589/Twitter-how-to-set-up-your-account.html |archive-date=January 10, 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Twitter: How To Set Up Your Account |work=[[The Daily Telegraph]] |first=Donald |last=Strachan |date=February 19, 2009 |access-date=February 13, 2011 |location=London}}{{cbignore}}</ref>
 
In 2014, in anticipation for the [[2014 FIFA World Cup|FIFA World Cup]], Twitter introduced hashflags, special hashtags that automatically generate a custom [[emoji]] next to them for a certain period of time, following the success of a similar campaign during the [[2010 World Cup]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Magdaleno|first=Alex|title=Raise Your 'Hashflags': Twitter Reintroduces World Cup Hashtags|url=https://mashable.com/2014/06/10/world-cup-twitter-hashflags/|access-date=May 16, 2021|website=Mashable|date=June 11, 2014|language=en}}</ref> Hashflags may be generated by Twitter themselves (such as to [[Consciousness raising|raise awareness]] for [[social issue]]s)<ref>{{Cite web|date=March 18, 2021|title=Twitter hashflags call out support for the Asian American community: Thursday Wake-Up Call|url=https://adage.com/article/media/twitter-hashflags-call-out-support-asian-american-community-thursday-wake-call/2322671|access-date=May 16, 2021|website=adage.com|language=en}}</ref> or be purchased by corporations (such as to promote products and events).<ref>{{Cite web|last1=JohnsonFebruary 2|first1=Lauren|last2=2016|title=Twitter's Branded Emojis Come With a Million-Dollar Commitment|url=https://www.adweek.com/performance-marketing/twitters-branded-emojis-come-million-dollar-commitment-169327/|access-date=May 16, 2021|language=en-US}}</ref>
 
To repost a message from another Twitter user and share it with one's own followers, a user can click the retweet button within the Tweet. Users can reply other accounts' replies. Since November 2019, users can hide replies to their messages. Since May 2020, users can select who can reply each of their tweets before sending them: anyone, accounts who follow the poster, specific accounts, and none. This ability was upgraded in July 2021 to make the feature retroactively applicable to tweets after they have been sent out.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Peters |first=Jay |date=May 20, 2020 |title=Twitter is testing a way to let you limit replies to your tweets |url=https://www.theverge.com/2020/5/20/21265090/twitter-testing-limited-replies-tweets-conversations |access-date=July 14, 2021 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Peters |first=Jay |date=July 13, 2021 |title=Twitter will let you change who can reply to a tweet after you post it |newspaper=The Verge |url=https://www.theverge.com/2021/7/13/22575998/twitter-tweet-change-who-can-reply-after-you-post |access-date=July 14, 2021 |language=en-US}}</ref>
 
==== Using SMS ====
Through SMS, users can communicate with Twitter through five [[gateway (telecommunications)|gateway]] numbers: [[short code]]s for the United States, Canada, India, New Zealand, and an [[Isle of Man]]-based number for international use. There is also a short code in the United Kingdom which is only accessible to those on the [[Vodafone]], [[Telefónica Europe|O2]]<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/pda/2009/mar/27/twitter-socialnetworking1|title=Twitter Brings Back UK SMS; Vodafone First, Others To Follow| work=[[The Guardian]] | date=March 27, 2009| first=Robert| last=Andrews| access-date=June 7, 2009| location=London}}</ref> and [[Orange UK|Orange]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://blog.twitter.com/2009/11/another-first-in-uk.html |title=Blog.Twitter.com |publisher=Blog.Twitter.com |date=November 16, 2009 |access-date=March 28, 2010}}</ref> networks. In India, since Twitter only supports tweets from [[Bharti Airtel]],<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.topnews.in/twitter-bharti-airtel-tieup-activate-twitter-sms-service-india-2224961|title=Twitter, Bharti Airtel Tie-Up To Activate Twitter SMS Service in India|author=Kutty, Darpana|date=October 15, 2009|work=topnews.in|access-date=February 23, 2011}}</ref> an alternative platform called smsTweet<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.smstweet.in/|title=SMStweet :: Send Twitter Message sing SMS in India|access-date=April 3, 2010|location=India|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180921034855/http://www.smstweet.in/|archive-date=September 21, 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref> was set up by a user to work on all networks.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.dnaindia.com/scitech/report_tweeting-via-sms-is-in-the-way-it-should-be_1324562|title=Tweeting Via SMS Is In, the Way It Should Be|author=Balanarayan, N.T.|date=December 17, 2009|work=[[Daily News and Analysis]]|access-date=February 23, 2011}}</ref> A similar platform called GladlyCast exists for mobile phone users in Singapore and Malaysia.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://gladlycast.com/|title=Update Twitter or Plurk by sending an SMS to a Singapore or Malaysia local number|access-date=April 3, 2010|location=Singapore|archive-date=January 25, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130125082254/http://gladlycast.com/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
 
The tweets were set to a largely constrictive 140-character limit for compatibility with SMS messaging, introducing the shorthand notation and [[Internet slang|slang commonly used in SMS]] messages. The 140-character limit also increased the usage of [[URL shortening]] services such as [[Bitly|bit.ly]], [[Google URL Shortener|goo.gl]], [[tinyURL|tinyurl.com]], [[tr.im]], and other content-hosting services such as [[TwitPic]], memozu.com and NotePub to accommodate [[multimedia]] content and text longer than 140 characters. Since June 2011, Twitter has used its own [[t.co]] domain for automatic [[URL shortening|shortening]] of all URLs posted on its site, making other link shorteners unnecessary for staying within Twitter's 140 character limit.<ref name="twitterhelpshort">{{cite web|url=http://support.twitter.com/entries/109623|title=About Twitter's Link Service <http://t.co>|publisher=Twitter Help Center (module of Twitter)|access-date=February 23, 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110225203154/http://support.twitter.com/entries/109623|archive-date=February 25, 2011}}</ref><ref name="t.co rollout" />
 
In April 2020, Twitter discontinued the ability to receive SMS messages containing the text of new tweets in most countries.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://mashable.com/article/twitter-sms-changes-account-removals/?europe=true|title=Twitter quietly deletes millions of accounts from the old text message days|publisher=Mashable|date=April 28, 2020|last=Binder|first=Matt|access-date=January 6, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/2020/4/27/21238131/twitter-sms-notifications-disabled-jack-dorsey-hack|title=Twitter turns off its original SMS service in most countries|publisher=The Verge|date=April 27, 2020|last=Kastrenakes|first=Jacob|access-date=January 6, 2021}}</ref>
 
==== Character limits ====
In 2016, Twitter announced that media such as photos, videos, and the person's handle, would not count against the already constrictive 140 character limit. A user photo post used to count for a large chunk of a Tweet, about 24 characters.<ref>{{cite news|url = http://bigstory.ap.org/article/e80322b79d0d4765a2bcea2b473c9a34/coming-soon-twitter-more-room-tweetl|title = Coming soon to Twitter: More room to tweet |agency = Associated Press|date = May 24, 2016|access-date = May 24, 2016}}</ref> Attachments and links would also no longer be part of the character limit.<ref name="New Twitter Name">{{cite web|url=https://www.yahoo.com/tech/twitter-eases-140-character-limit-tweets-145347778.html|title=Twitter eases 140 character limit|last=Lever|first=Rob|date=May 24, 2016|website=[[Yahoo Tech]]|access-date=May 25, 2016}}</ref>
 
Since March 30, 2017, the Twitter handles are outside the tweet itself, therefore they no longer count towards the character limit.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/2017/3/30/15115290/twitter-replies-redesign-character-limit|title=Twitter redesigns replies so usernames don't count against the 140-character limit|first=Casey|last=Newton|date=March 30, 2017|website=The Verge}}</ref> Only new Twitter handles added to the conversation count towards the limit.
 
In 2017, Twitter doubled their historical 140-character-limitation to 280.<ref name="new280limit">{{cite web|url=https://blog.twitter.com/official/en_us/topics/product/2017/Giving-you-more-characters-to-express-yourself.html|title=Giving you more characters to express yourself|access-date=September 27, 2017}}</ref> Under the new limit, [[glyph]]s are counted as a variable number of characters, depending upon the script they are from: most European letters and punctuation forms count as one character, while each [[CJK]] glyph counts as two so that only 140 such glyphs can be used in a tweet.<ref name="new280limit" />
 
==== URL shortener ====
{{Anchor|t.co}}
 
t.co is a [[URL shortening]] service created by Twitter.<ref name="twitterhelpshort" /> It is only available for links posted to Twitter and not available for general use.<ref name="twitterhelpshort" /> All links posted to Twitter use a t.co wrapper.<ref name="twitterblog">{{cite web |author=Garrett, Sean|date=June 8, 2010|url=http://blog.twitter.com/2010/06/links-and-twitter-length-shouldnt.html |title=Links and Twitter: Length Shouldn't Matter|publisher=Twitter Blog ([[blog]] of Twitter) |access-date=February 23, 2011}}</ref> Twitter hopes that the service will be able to protect users from malicious sites,<ref name="twitterhelpshort" /> and will use it to track clicks on links within tweets.<ref name="twitterhelpshort" /><ref>{{cite web |author=Metz, Cade|date=September 2, 2010|url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/09/02/twitter_ipad_app_and_url_shortener/ |title=Twitter Tightens Grip on Own Firehose |access-date=February 23, 2011|work=[[The Register]]}}</ref>
 
Having used the services of third parties [[TinyURL]] and [[bit.ly]],<ref>{{cite web |author=Weisenthal, Joe|date=May 6, 2009|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/twitter-switches-from-tinyurl-to-bitly-2009-5 |title=Twitter Switches from TinyURL to Bit.ly |work=[[Business Insider]]|access-date=February 23, 2011}}</ref> Twitter began experimenting with its own URL shortening service for private messages in March 2010 using the twt.tl domain,<ref name="twitterblog" /> before it purchased the t.co domain.<ref name="twitterblog" /> On June 7, 2011, Twitter announced that it was rolling out the feature.<ref name="t.co rollout">{{cite web|url=http://blog.twitter.com/2011/06/link-sharing-made-simple.html |author=Penner, Carolyn |title=Link Sharing Made Simple |date=June 7, 2011 |access-date=June 9, 2011 |publisher=Twitter Blog ([[blog]] of Twitter)}}</ref>
 
==== Integrated photo-sharing service ====
On June 1, 2011, Twitter announced its own integrated photo-sharing service that enables users to upload a photo and attach it to a Tweet right from Twitter.com.<ref>{{cite web |date=June 1, 2011 |title=Twitter now with integrated photo-sharing service and completely new twitter search |url=http://techshrimp.com/2011/06/01/twitter-now-with-integrated-photo-sharing-service-and-completely-new-twitter-search/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110630083417/http://techshrimp.com/2011/06/01/twitter-now-with-integrated-photo-sharing-service-and-completely-new-twitter-search/ |archive-date=June 30, 2011 |access-date=June 1, 2011 |publisher=Techshrimp}}</ref> Users now also have the ability to add pictures to Twitter's search by adding hashtags to the tweet.<ref name="twitpic">Mike Flacy [http://www.digitaltrends.com/photography/twitter-photo-sharing-goes-live-for-all-users/ "Twitter photo sharing goes live for all users"], Digital Trends. August 9, 2011. Retrieved August 10, 2011.</ref> Twitter also plans to provide photo galleries designed to gather and syndicate all photos that a user has uploaded on Twitter and third-party services such as [[TwitPic]].<ref name="twitpic" />
 
On March 29, 2016, Twitter introduced the ability to add a caption of up to 480 characters to each image attached to a tweet,<ref name="hc_420"><!--"hc" means "help center".-->[https://help.twitter.com/en/using-twitter/picture-descriptions Twitter Help center: Picture Descriptions – How to make images accessible for people]</ref><ref name="420char">{{Cite web |title=Accessible images for everyone |url=https://blog.twitter.com/en_us/a/2016/accessible-images-for-everyone.html |website=blog.twitter.com}}</ref> accessible via screen reading software or by hovering the mouse above a picture inside [[TweetDeck]]. In April 2022, Twitter made the ability to add and view captions globally available. Descriptions can be added to any uploaded image with a limit of 1000 characters. Images that have a description will feature a badge that says ''ALT'' in the bottom left corner, which will bring up the description when clicked.<ref name="AltDesc2022">{{cite web |last=Lyons |first=Kim |date=April 7, 2022 |title=Twitter rolls out its ALT badge and improved image descriptions |url=https://www.theverge.com/2022/4/7/23015669/twitter-alt-badge-improved-image-descriptions-accessibility |access-date=April 7, 2022 |work=[[The Verge]]}}</ref>
 
==== Polls ====
In 2015, Twitter began to roll out the ability to attach poll questions to tweets. Polls are open for up to 7 days, and voters are not personally identified.<ref>{{cite magazine |date=October 21, 2015 |title=Your Twitter Feed Is About to Be Flooded With Polls |url=https://www.wired.com/2015/10/twitter-polls/ |magazine=Wired |access-date=October 23, 2015}}</ref> Initially, polls could have only two options with a maximum of twenty characters per option. Later,{{When|date=August 2019}} the ability to add four options with up to 25 characters per option, was added.
 
=== Non-tweet content ===
 
==== Streaming video ====
In 2016, Twitter began to place a larger focus on live streaming video programming, hosting various events including streams of the [[2016 Republican National Convention|Republican]] and [[2016 Democratic National Convention|Democratic]] conventions during the [[2016 United States presidential election|U.S. presidential campaign]] as part of a partnership with [[CBS News]],<ref>{{cite web |title=Twitter and CBS News to partner for live stream of Republican and Democratic National Conventions |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/twitter-cbs-news-partnership-cbsn-live-stream-republican-democratic-national-conventions/ |access-date=July 11, 2016 |work=CBS News}}</ref> [[Dreamhack]] and [[ESL (eSports)|ESL]] [[eSports]] events,<ref name="verge-twitterstreamingvideo">{{cite web |date=April 26, 2017 |title=Twitter plans to broadcast live video 24 hours a day |url=https://www.theverge.com/2017/4/26/15430838/twitter-live-video-broadcast-24-hours |access-date=May 12, 2017 |website=The Verge}}</ref> and winning a bid for non-exclusive streaming rights to ten [[NFL]] ''[[Thursday Night Football]]'' games in the [[2016 NFL season|2016 season]].<ref name="verge-twitterstreamingvideo" /><ref name="ars-tnftwitter">{{cite web |last1=Brodkin |first1=Jon |date=April 5, 2016 |title=Twitter buys NFL streaming rights for 10 Thursday Night Football games |url=https://arstechnica.com/business/2016/04/twitter-buys-nfl-streaming-rights-for-10-thursday-night-football-games/ |access-date=April 5, 2016 |website=Ars Technica}}</ref>
 
During an event in New York in May 2017, Twitter announced that it planned to construct a 24-hour streaming video channel hosted within the service, featuring content from various partners.<ref name="verge-twitterstreamingvideo" /><ref name="recode-twittervideo">{{cite web |date=May 2, 2017 |title=Twitter still thinks it's a TV platform — and here are its dozen new shows |url=https://www.recode.net/2017/5/1/15509026/twitter-live-video-tv-shows |access-date=May 12, 2017 |website=Re/code |publisher=Vox Media}}</ref> CEO Jack Dorsey stated that the digital video strategy was part of a goal for Twitter to be "the first place that anyone hears of anything going on that matters to them"; as of the first quarter of 2017, Twitter had over 200 content partners, who streamed over 800 hours of video over 450 events.<ref name="variety-streamingchannel">{{cite web |date=May 2017 |title=Twitter Pushes Live-Video Deals With MLB, NFL, Viacom, BuzzFeed, Live Nation, WNBA and More |url=https://variety.com/2017/digital/news/twitter-pushes-live-video-deals-with-mlb-buzzfeed-live-nation-wnba-and-others-1202405236/ |access-date=May 12, 2017 |website=Variety}}</ref>
 
Twitter announced a number of new and expanded partnerships for its streaming video services at the event, including [[Bloomberg L.P.|Bloomberg]], [[BuzzFeed]], [[Cheddar (TV channel)|Cheddar]] (''Opening Bell'' and ''Closing Bell'' shows; the latter was introduced in October 2016) [[WME/IMG|IMG Fashion]] (coverage of fashion events), [[Live Nation Entertainment]] (streaming concert events), [[Major League Baseball]] (weekly online game stream, plus a weekly program with live look-ins and coverage of trending stories), [[MTV]] and [[BET (TV channel)|BET]] (red carpet coverage for their [[MTV Video Music Awards]], [[MTV Movie & TV Awards]], and [[BET Awards]]), [[NFL Network]] (the Monday-Thursday news program ''NFL Blitz Live'', and Sunday ''Fantasy Gameday''),<ref>{{Cite news |last=Spangler |first=Todd |date=August 29, 2017 |title=NFL Sets Kickoff of Twitter Live Show for 2017–18 Season |language=en-US |work=Variety |url=https://variety.com/2017/digital/news/nfl-twitter-live-streaming-show-nflblitz-1202541482/ |access-date=August 30, 2017}}</ref><ref name="verge-nfltwitter17">{{cite web |date=May 11, 2017 |title=Twitter signed a new live video deal with the NFL that doesn't include games |url=https://www.theverge.com/2017/5/11/15624988/twitter-nfl-live-video-deal-broadcast |access-date=May 12, 2017 |website=The Verge}}</ref> the [[PGA Tour]] (''PGA Tour Live'' coverage of early tournament rounds preceding television coverage),<ref name="golf-pgatwitter">{{cite web |date=January 5, 2017 |title=PGA Tour, Twitter Ink Live-Streaming Deal for Coverage of Thursday, Friday Rounds |url=http://www.golf.com/tour-and-news/pga-tour-twitter-ink-live-streaming-deal-early-round-coverage |access-date=May 12, 2017 |website=Golf.com}}</ref> ''[[The Players' Tribune]]'', [[Ben Silverman]] and [[Howard T. Owens]]' Propagate (daily entertainment show ''#WhatsHappening''), ''[[The Verge]]'' (weekly technology show ''Circuit Breaker: The Verge's Gadget Show''), [[Stadium (sports network)|Stadium]] (a new digital sports network being formed by [[Silver Chalice]] and [[Sinclair Broadcast Group]])<ref name="bandc-asnrevamp">{{cite web |date=April 14, 2017 |title=Sinclair Partners to Revamp, Relaunch Sports Network |url=http://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/local-tv/sinclair-partners-revamp-relaunch-sports-network/164905 |access-date=April 15, 2017 |website=Broadcasting and Cable}}</ref><ref name="sbn-asnrelaunch">{{cite web |date=April 13, 2017 |title=American Sports Network, Campus Insiders, and 120 Sports Announce Mega-Merger Deal |url=http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2017/4/13/15295142/american-sports-network-campus-insiders-120-sports-announce-mega-merger-deal-tv-online-streaming-g5 |access-date=April 15, 2017 |website=Underdog Dynasty (SBNation) |publisher=Vox Media}}</ref><ref name="sunherald-stadium">{{cite web |title=Is Twitter the new home for Southern Miss football? |url=http://www.sunherald.com/sports/college/conference-usa/university-of-southern-mississippi/article148154494.html |access-date=May 12, 2017 |website=Sun Herald}}</ref> and the [[WNBA]] (weekly game).<ref name="variety-streamingchannel" />
 
==== Spaces ====
Twitter Spaces is a [[social audio]] feature that enables users to host or participate in a live-audio virtual environment called ''space'' for conversation. Spaces can accommodate an unlimited number of listeners. A maximum of 13 people (1 host, 2 co-hosts and 10 speakers) are allowed onstage. The feature was initially limited to users with at least 600 followers. Since October 21, 2021, any Twitter user can create a Space from the Android or iOS app.<ref>{{cite web |last=Roth |first=Emma |date=October 21, 2021 |title=Twitter is finally letting everyone create Spaces |url=https://www.theverge.com/2021/10/21/22739249/twitter-finally-letting-everyone-create-spaces |access-date=October 22, 2021 |work=The Verge}}</ref>
 
==== Fleets ====
In March 2020, Twitter began to test a [[Stories (social media)|stories]] feature known as "fleets" in some markets,<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |title=Twitter starts testing its own version of Stories, called 'Fleets,' which disappear after 24 hours |url=https://social.techcrunch.com/2020/03/04/twitter-starts-testing-its-own-version-of-stories-called-fleets-which-disappear-after-24-hours/ |access-date=September 27, 2020 |website=TechCrunch |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=June 10, 2020 |title=Twitter brings Fleets to India, for 'those uncomfortable with public tweets' |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/technology/social/twitter-fleets-launched-india-6448715/ |access-date=September 27, 2020 |website=The Indian Express |language=en}}</ref> which officially launched on November 17, 2020.<ref>{{cite web |last=Hayes |first=Dade |date=November 17, 2020 |title=Twitter Launches Disappearing 'Fleets' Globally After Tests In Select Markets |url=https://deadline.com/2020/11/twitter-launches-disappearing-fleets-globally-after-tests-instagram-snapchat-stories-1234617013/ |access-date=January 6, 2021 |publisher=Deadline}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Newton |first=Casey |date=November 18, 2020 |title=What Twitter Fleets signals about the future of the company |url=https://www.theverge.com/21573380/twitter-fleets-launch-stories-spaces-future |access-date=November 18, 2020 |website=The Verge |language=en}}</ref> Similarly to equivalent features, fleets can contain text and media, are only accessible for 24 hours after they are posted, and are accessed within the Twitter app via an area above the timeline.<ref name=":3" />
 
In June 2021, Twitter announced it would start implementing advertising into fleets, integrating full-screen ads among user-created content.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lyons |first=Kim |date=June 1, 2021 |title=Twitter's Fleets are getting Stories-like ads |url=https://www.theverge.com/2021/6/1/22461070/twitter-fleets-stories-ads-monetize-instagram-snap |access-date=June 6, 2021 |work=The Verge |language=en}}</ref> On July 14, 2021, Twitter stated that it would remove Fleets by August 3. Twitter had intended for fleets to encourage more users to tweet regularly, rather than simply consume other folks' tweets, but instead fleets were generally used by users who already tweeted a lot. The company stated that their spot at the top of the screen would now be occupied by currently active Spaces from the user's feed.<ref name="expiringfeature">{{Cite web |last=Heath |first=Alex |date=July 14, 2021 |title=Twitter is shutting down Fleets, its expiring tweets feature |url=https://www.theverge.com/2021/7/14/22577166/twitter-fleets-shuts-down-stories-clone |access-date=July 14, 2021 |work=The Verge |language=en}}</ref>
 
=== Curation ===
 
====Trending topics====
{{Main|Twitter trends}}
[[File:Twitter TT.PNG|thumb|Countries and cities with local ''trending topics'' in Twitter]]
A word, phrase, or topic that is mentioned at a greater rate than others is said to be a "trending topic". Trending topics become popular either through a concerted effort by users or because of an event that prompts people to talk about a specific topic.<ref>{{cite web |title=Bloggers back media against youth league |url=http://www.journalism.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3103&Itemid=37 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110718104406/http://www.journalism.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3103&Itemid=37 |archive-date=July 18, 2011 |access-date=April 3, 2010}}</ref> These topics help Twitter and their users to understand what is happening in the world and what people's opinions are about it.<ref>{{cite web |title=Top Twitter Trends of 2009 |url=http://blog.twitter.com/2009/12/top-twitter-trends-of-2009.html |access-date=April 3, 2010}}</ref> The Twitter web interface displays a list of trending topics on a sidebar on the home page, along with sponsored content.
 
Trending topics are sometimes the result of concerted efforts and manipulations by fans of certain celebrities or cultural phenomena, particularly musicians like [[Lady Gaga]], [[Justin Bieber]], [[Rihanna]] and [[One Direction]], and novel series ''[[Twilight (novel series)|Twilight]]'' and ''[[Harry Potter]]''. Twitter has altered the trend algorithm in the past to prevent manipulation of this type with limited success.<ref>{{cite web |last=Woollaston |first=Vicky |title=Justin Bieber fans beat Twitter 'block' &#124; Web User magazine |url=http://www.webuser.co.uk/news/top-stories/492646/justin-bieber-fans-beat-twitter-block |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121122152133/http://www.webuser.co.uk/news/top-stories/492646/justin-bieber-fans-beat-twitter-block |archive-date=November 22, 2012 |access-date=January 20, 2012 |publisher=Webuser.co.uk}}</ref> Twitter also censors trending hashtags that are claimed to be abusive or offensive. Twitter censored the #Thatsafrican<ref>{{cite news |last=Weiner |first=David |date=June 21, 2009 |title=#Thatsafrican – When Twitter Went Racist? |work=Huffington Post |url=https://huffingtonpost.com/david-weiner/thatsafrican----when-twit_b_218673.html |access-date=April 3, 2010}}</ref> and #thingsdarkiessay hashtags after users complained that they found the hashtags offensive.<ref>{{cite web |date=November 5, 2009 |title=Thingsdarkiessay causes a Twitter storm |url=http://www.iol.co.za/scitech/technology/news/thingsdarkiessay-causes-a-twitter-storm-1.909053 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160130094002/http://www.iol.co.za/scitech/technology/news/thingsdarkiessay-causes-a-twitter-storm-1.909053 |archive-date=January 30, 2016 |access-date=January 11, 2012 |publisher=[[Independent Online (South Africa)|Independent Online]] |location=South Africa}}</ref>
 
==== Lists ====
In late 2009, the "Twitter Lists" feature was added, making it possible for users to follow ad hoc lists of users instead of individual users.<ref name="lists1" /><ref>{{cite web |date=n.d. |title=Twitter Lists! |url=http://help.twitter.com/forums/10711/entries/76460 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091222223731/http://help.twitter.com/forums/10711/entries/76460 |archive-date=December 22, 2009 |access-date=February 13, 2011 |publisher=Support forum at help.twitter.com}}</ref>
 
==== Moments ====
In October 2015, Twitter introduced "Moments"—a feature that allows users to curate tweets from other users into a larger collection. Twitter initially intended the feature to be used by its in-house editorial team and other partners; they populated a dedicated tab in Twitter's apps, chronicling news headlines, sporting events, and other content.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Pierce |first=David |date=October 6, 2015 |title=Meet Moments, Twitter's Most Important New Feature Ever |magazine=Wired |url=https://www.wired.com/2015/10/meet-moments-twitters-new-feature/ |access-date=July 17, 2019 |issn=1059-1028}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Newton |first=Casey |date=October 6, 2015 |title=Twitter launches Moments, its dead-simple tab for browsing the best tweets |url=https://www.theverge.com/2015/10/6/9457267/twitter-moments-project-lightning |access-date=July 17, 2019 |website=The Verge |language=en-US}}</ref> In September 2016, creation of moments became available to all Twitter users.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kastrenakes |first=Jacob |date=September 28, 2016 |title=Twitter opens its Moments feature up to everyone |url=https://www.theverge.com/2016/9/28/13097924/twitter-moments-creation-opens-to-all |access-date=July 17, 2019 |website=The Verge}}</ref>
 
===Mobile===
{{anchor|lite}} {{anchor|Twitter Lite}}
[[File:Twitter Mobile.PNG|right|thumb|The [[Mobile Web|mobile]] version of Twitter<ref>[https://mobile.twitter.com/session/new mobile.twitter.com]</ref>]]
Twitter has mobile apps for [[iPhone]], [[iPad]], [[Android (operating system)|Android]], [[Windows 10]], [[Windows Phone]], [[BlackBerry]], and [[Nokia S40]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Twitter apps for phones, tablets and computers. |url=https://about.twitter.com/products/list |publisher=Twitter |access-date=April 6, 2017 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170402195657/https://about.twitter.com/products/list |archive-date=April 2, 2017 }}</ref> In April 2017, Twitter introduced ''Twitter Lite'', a [[progressive web app]] designed for regions with unreliable and slow Internet connections, with a size of less than one [[megabyte]], designed for devices with limited storage capacity.<ref>{{cite web |first=Sam |last=Byford |title=Twitter Lite is a faster, leaner mobile web version of Twitter |url=https://www.theverge.com/2017/4/6/15203736/twitter-lite-mobile-web-data-saver |website=[[The Verge]] |publisher=[[Vox Media]] |date=April 6, 2017 |access-date=April 6, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |first=Jon |last=Russell |title=Twitter launches a 'lite' mobile web app that's optimized for emerging markets |url=https://techcrunch.com/2017/04/05/twitter-finally-launches-a-lite-app/ |website=[[TechCrunch]] |publisher=[[AOL]] |date=April 6, 2016 |access-date=April 6, 2017}}</ref>
 
===Adding and following content===
There are numerous tools for adding content, monitoring content and conversations including Twitter's own [[TweetDeck]], [[Salesforce.com]], [[HootSuite]], and Twitterfeed.com. {{As of|2009}}, fewer than half of tweets posted were posted using the web user interface with most users using third-party applications (based on an analysis of 500&nbsp;million tweets by Sysomos).<ref>{{cite web |date=November 2009 |title=Inside Twitter Clients – An Analysis of 500 Million Tweets |url=http://www.sysomos.com/insidetwitter/clients |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100901070608/http://sysomos.com/insidetwitter/clients |archive-date=September 1, 2010 |access-date=August 23, 2010 |publisher=[[Sysomos]] }}</ref>
 
=== Twitter Blue ===
On June 3, 2021, Twitter announced a paid subscription service known as Twitter Blue, which provides additional premium features to the service:
 
* Undo Tweet, which allows users to withdraw a tweet within a short time frame before it is posted.<ref name=":8">{{Cite web|title=Twitter launches its premium subscription, Twitter Blue, initially in Canada and Australia|url=https://social.techcrunch.com/2021/06/03/twitter-launches-its-premium-subscription-twitter-blue-initially-in-canada-and-australia/|access-date=July 14, 2021|website=TechCrunch|language=en-US}}</ref>
* Bookmarks, which allows users to save individual tweets into folders.<ref name=":8" />
* ''Reader mode'', which converts threads of tweets into an article-like view.<ref name=":8" />
* A selection of color themes and app icons for the Twitter mobile app.<ref name=":8" />
* Dedicated customer support.<ref name=":8" />
* [[NFT]] profile pictures, added on January 20, 2022. They are displayed in a hexagon-shaped frame, rather than circular like other profile pictures.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Lawler |first1=Richard |title=Twitter brings NFTs to the timeline as hexagon-shaped profile pictures |url=https://www.theverge.com/2022/1/20/22893502/nft-twitter-profile-picture-crypto-wallet-opensea-coinbase-right-click |website=The Verge |access-date=March 20, 2022 |language=en |date=January 20, 2022}}</ref>
* An edit feature for tweets is in development.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Brodkin |first=Jon |date=April 6, 2022 |title=Twitter plans edit button, says Elon Musk's poll had nothing to do with it |url=https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2022/04/twitter-plans-edit-button-says-elon-musks-poll-had-nothing-to-do-with-it/ |access-date=April 14, 2022 |website=Ars Technica |language=en-us}}</ref>
 
The service was initially released in Australia and Canada on June 3, 2021.<ref name=":8" /> On November 9, 2021, Twitter Blue was launched for US and New Zealand users.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Peters |first=Jay |date=November 9, 2021 |title=Twitter will now let you pay to undo tweets and read ad-free news in the US |url=https://www.theverge.com/2021/11/9/22766286/twitter-blue-subscription-service-scroll-nuzzel-undo-tweets-ad-free-articles-us |access-date=April 24, 2022 |website=The Verge |language=en}}</ref>
 
===User monetization===
In June 2021, the company opened applications for its premium subscription options called Super Follows. This lets eligible accounts charge $2.99, $4.99 or $9.99 per month to subscribe to the account.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Hatmaker |first1=Taylor |date=September 1, 2021 |title=Twitter rolls out paid subscription 'Super Follows' to let you cash in on your tweets |publisher=Tech Crunch |url=https://techcrunch.com/2021/09/01/twitter-super-follows-monetization/ |access-date=September 28, 2021}}</ref> The launch only generated about $6,000 in its first two weeks.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Perez |first1=Sarah |date=September 12, 2021 |title=Twitter Super Follows has generated only around $6k+ in its first two weeks |publisher=Tech Crunch |url=https://techcrunch.com/2021/09/16/twitter-super-follows-has-generated-only-around-6k-in-its-first-two-weeks/ |access-date=September 28, 2021}}</ref>
 
In May 2021, Twitter began testing a Tip Jar feature on its iOS and Android clients. The feature allows users to send monetary tips to certain accounts, providing a financial incentive for content creators on the platform. The Tip Jar is optional and users can choose whether or not to enable tips for their account.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Gartenberg |first=Chaim |date=March 6, 2021 |title=Twitter is testing a new Tip Jar feature for sending money to your favorite accounts |language=en |work=The Verge |url=https://www.theverge.com/2021/5/6/22423583/twitter-tip-jar-feature-sending-money-venmo-cashapp |access-date=May 7, 2021}}</ref> On September 23, 2021, Twitter announced that it will allow users to tip users on the social network with [[bitcoin]]. The feature will be available for iOS users. Previously, users could tip with fiat currency using services such as [[Square (financial services company)|Square's]] [[Cash App]] and [[PayPal|PayPal's]] [[Venmo]]. Twitter will integrate the Strike bitcoin lightning wallet service. It was noted that at this current time, Twitter will not take a cut of any money sent through the tips feature.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rodriguez |first=Salvador |date=September 23, 2021 |title=You can now get paid in bitcoin to use Twitter |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2021/09/23/you-can-now-get-paid-in-bitcoin-to-use-twitter.html |access-date=September 23, 2021 |website=CNBC |language=en}}</ref>
 
On August 27, 2021, Twitter rolled out Ticketed Spaces, which let Twitter Spaces hosts charge between $1 and $999 for access to their rooms.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Carman |first1=Ashley |date=August 27, 2021 |title=Twitter starts launching Ticketed Spaces for some iOS users |publisher=The Verge |url=https://www.theverge.com/2021/8/27/22644283/twitter-ticketed-spaces-live-audio-test |access-date=September 28, 2021}}</ref> In April 2022, Twitter announced that it will partner with Stripe Inc (digital payments processor) for piloting cryptocurrency payouts for limited users in the platform. Eligible users of Ticketed Spaces and Super Follows will be able to receive their earnings in the form of USD coin, a stablecoin whose value is that of the U.S. dollar. Users can also hold their earnings in crypto wallets, and then exchange them into other cryptocurrencies.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Mattackal |first=Lisa Pauline |date=April 22, 2022 |title=Twitter, Stripe pilot cryptocurrency payments for creators |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/technology/twitter-stripe-pilot-cryptocurrency-payments-creators-2022-04-22/ |access-date=April 24, 2022}}</ref>
 
=== E-commerce ===
 
In July 2021, Twitter launched a test of The Shop Module, a shopping extension that directs customers to a brand's products from its official Twitter account. The feature initially launched for US-based users only and only on iOS.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Porter |first=Jon |date=July 28, 2021 |title= Twitter pilots a new shopping section for brands |language=en |work=The Verge |url= https://www.theverge.com/2021/7/28/22597576/twitter-shopping-module-pilot-gamestop-arden-cove-brands |access-date=July 28, 2021}}</ref> In March 2022, Twitter expanded the test to allow companies to showcase up to 50 products on their profiles.<ref>{{Cite web |date=March 10, 2022 |title=Twitter begins testing 'Shops' feature to grow ecommerce |url=http://tribune.com.pk/story/2347271/twitter-begins-testing-shops-feature-to-grow-ecommerce |access-date=March 10, 2022 |website=The Express Tribune |language=en}}</ref>
 
On November 22, 2021, Twitter announced live shopping<ref>{{Cite web |title=Watch, Chat, Shop: Live Shopping on Twitter |url=https://blog.twitter.com/en_us/topics/product/2021/watch--chat--shop--live-shopping-on-twitter |access-date=December 2, 2021 |website=blog.twitter.com |language=en-us}}</ref> feature on its platform. Walmart will be the first retailer to test Twitter’s new livestream shopping platform.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Walmart will be the first retailer to test Twitter's new livestream shopping platform |url=https://social.techcrunch.com/2021/11/22/walmart-will-be-the-first-retailer-to-test-twitters-new-livestream-shopping-platform/ |access-date=December 2, 2021 |website=TechCrunch |language=en-US}}</ref> The company stated that it is part of their continuing efforts to bring engaging experiences to customers that allow them to shop seamlessly while also being entertained.
 
==Usage==
{{Main articles|Twitter usage}}
 
Daily user estimates vary as the company does not publish statistics on active accounts. A February 2009 [[Compete.com]] blog entry ranked Twitter as the third most used social network based on their count of 6&nbsp;million unique monthly visitors and 55&nbsp;million monthly visits.<ref name="Kazeniac">{{Cite news|author=Kazeniac, Andy|title=Social Networks: Facebook Takes Over Top Spot, Twitter Climbs|url=http://blog.compete.com/2009/02/09/facebook-myspace-twitter-social-network/|date=February 9, 2009|publisher=[[Compete.com]]|access-date=February 17, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721111825/http://blog.compete.com/2009/02/09/facebook-myspace-twitter-social-network/|archive-date=July 21, 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref> An April 2017 a [[statista.com]] blog entry ranked Twitter as the tenth most used social network based on their count of 319&nbsp;million monthly visitors.<ref>{{cite web|title=Global Social Networks Ranked by Number of Users|url=https://www.statista.com/statistics/272014/global-social-networks-ranked-by-number-of-users/|website=Statista|access-date=June 18, 2017}}</ref> Its global user base in 2017 was 328&nbsp;million.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://money.cnn.com/2017/07/27/technology/business/twitter-earnings/index.html|title=Twitter is now losing users in the U.S.|last=Fiegerman|first=Seth|work=CNNMoney|access-date=March 23, 2018}}</ref>
 
===Demographics===
{{update section|date=September 2019}}
{{see also|Black Twitter}}
{{bar box
|width=300px
|title=Twitter.com Top5 Global Markets by Reach (%)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.billhartzer.com/pages/comscore-twitter-latin-america-usage/ |title=comScore Report: Twitter Usage Exploding in Brazil, Indonesia and Venezuela |publisher=Bill Hartzer |date=August 11, 2010 |access-date=May 22, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.comscoredatamine.com/2011/02/the-netherlands-leads-global-markets-in-twitter-reach/ |title=The Netherlands lead Global Markets in Twitter.com reach |publisher=Comscoredatamine.com |date=February 10, 2011 |access-date=May 22, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110415055017/http://www.comscoredatamine.com/2011/02/the-netherlands-leads-global-markets-in-twitter-reach/ |archive-date=April 15, 2011 }}</ref>
|titlebar=#dddddddddd
|left1='''Country'''
|right1='''Fraction'''
|float=right
|bars=
{{bar percent 2|Indonesia|Jun.&nbsp;2010|Red|20.8|Dec.&nbsp;2010|Red|19.0}}
{{bar percent 2|Brazil|Jun.&nbsp;2010|Yellow|20.5|Dec.&nbsp;2010|Yellow|21.8}}
{{bar percent 2|Venezuela|Jun.&nbsp;2010|Green|19.0|Dec.&nbsp;2010|Green|21.1}}
{{bar percent 2|Netherlands|Jun.&nbsp;2010|Orange|17.7|Dec.&nbsp;2010|Orange|22.3}}
{{bar percent 2|Japan|Jun.&nbsp;2010|Blue|16.8|Dec.&nbsp;2010|Blue|20.0}}
|caption=<small>Note: Visitor age >15, home and work locations. Excludes visitation from public computers such as Internet cafes or access from mobile phones or PDAs.</small>}}
 
In 2009, Twitter was mainly used by older adults who might not have used other social sites before Twitter, said Jeremiah Owyang, an industry analyst studying social media. "Adults are just catching up to what teens have been doing for years", he said.<ref name="teensdonttweet">{{Cite news| first=Claire Cain | last=Miller | title=Who's Driving Twitter's Popularity? Not Teens | date=August 25, 2009 | work=[[The New York Times]] | url = https://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/26/technology/internet/26twitter.html | access-date = September 18, 2009 }}</ref> According to [[comScore]] only 11% of Twitter's users are aged 12 to 17.<ref name="teensdonttweet" /> comScore attributed this to Twitter's "early adopter period" when the social network first gained popularity in business settings and news outlets attracting primarily older users. However, comScore also stated in 2009 that Twitter had begun to "filter more into the mainstream", and "along with it came a culture of celebrity as [[Shaquille O'Neal|Shaq]], [[Britney Spears]] and [[Ashton Kutcher]] joined the ranks of the Twitterati".<ref>{{Cite news | first=Andrew | last=Lipsman | title=What Ashton vs. CNN Foretold About the Changing Demographics of Twitter | date=September 2, 2009 | url=http://blog.comscore.com/2009/09/changing_demographics_of_twitter.html | work=[[comScore]] | access-date=September 18, 2009 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090907004801/http://blog.comscore.com/2009/09/changing_demographics_of_twitter.html | archive-date=September 7, 2009 | df=mdy-all }}</ref>
 
According to a study by [[Sysomos]] in June 2009, women make up a slightly larger Twitter demographic than men—53% over 47%. It also stated that 5% of users accounted for 75% of all activity and that New York City has more Twitter users than other cities.<ref>{{cite web|author=Cheng, Alex|author2=Evans, Mark | title=Inside Twitter&nbsp;– An In-Depth Look Inside the Twitter World| date=June 2009| url=http://www.sysomos.com/insidetwitter/|publisher=[[Sysomos]]| access-date=February 23, 2011}}</ref>
 
According to Quancast, 27 million people in the US used Twitter as of September 3, 2009; 63% of Twitter users are under 35 years old; 60% of Twitter users are Caucasian, but a higher than average (compared to other Internet properties) are African American/black (16%) and Hispanic (11%); 58% of Twitter users have a total household income of at least US$60,000.<ref>{{cite web|author=Bluff, Brian |title=Who Uses Twitter? |date=May 2010 |url=http://www.site-seeker.com/_blogs/who-uses-twitter-demographic/ |publisher=site-seeker.com |access-date=September 22, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100531203517/http://www.site-seeker.com/_blogs/who-uses-twitter-demographic/ |archive-date=May 31, 2010 }}</ref> The prevalence of African American Twitter usage and in many popular hashtags has been the subject of research studies.<ref>{{cite web |first=Adrian |last=Chen |title=Why So Many Black People Are On Twitter |url=http://gawker.com/5802772/why-so-many-black-people-are-on-twitter |website=[[Gawker]] |publisher=[[Univision Communications]] |date=May 17, 2011 |access-date=May 5, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |first=Nick |last=Saint |title=Why Is Twitter More Popular With Black People Than White People? |url=http://www.businessinsider.com/twitter-study-results-2010-4 |website=[[Business Insider]] |publisher=[[Axel Springer SE]] |date=April 30, 2010 |access-date=May 5, 2017}}</ref>
 
On September 7, 2011, Twitter announced that it had 100&nbsp;million active users logging in at least once a month and 50&nbsp;million active users every day.<ref>{{cite web |date=September 8, 2011 |last=Taylor |first=Chris |url=http://mashable.com/2011/09/08/twitter-has-100-million-active-users/ |title=Twitter has 100 million active users |website=[[Mashable]] }}</ref> On March 31, 2014, Twitter announced that there were 255&nbsp;million monthly active users (MAUs) and 198&nbsp;million mobile MAUs.<ref name="investor.twitterinc.com">{{cite web |title=Twitter Reports First Quarter 2014 Results |url=https://investor.twitterinc.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=843245 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140609003245/https://investor.twitterinc.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=843245 |archive-date=June 9, 2014 |access-date=June 9, 2014}}</ref> In 2013, there were over 100&nbsp;million users actively using Twitter daily and about 500&nbsp;million tweets every day,<ref>{{cite web |title=Twitter, Inc Common Stock |url=https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1418091/000119312513390321/d564001ds1.htm#toc564001_1 |access-date=June 9, 2014}}</ref> with about 29% of users checking Twitter multiple times a day.<ref>{{cite web |last=Duggan |first=Maeve |date=December 30, 2013 |title=Social Media Update 2013 |url=http://www.pewinternet.org/2013/12/30/social-media-update-2013/ |access-date=June 9, 2014}}</ref>
{{As of|2019||alt=As of Q1 2019}}, Twitter had more than 330 million monthly active users. The majority of Twitter users skew to the American political left.<ref>Evette Alexander, [https://knightfoundation.org/articles/polarization-in-the-twittersphere-what-86-million-tweets-reveal-about-the-political-makeup-of-american-twitter-users-and-how-they-engage-with-news Polarization in the Twittersphere: What 86 million tweets reveal about the political makeup of American Twitter users and how they engage with news] Knight Foundation/</ref><ref>Deen Freelon Associate Professor in the Hussman School of Journalism and Media, [https://knightfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/KF-Twitter-Report-Part1-v6.pdf Tweeting Left, Right & Center: How users and attention are distributed across Twitter], Knight Foundation.</ref><ref name="Twitter" />
 
In 2012, the country with the most active users on Twitter was the United States.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://semiocast.com/publications/2012_07_30_Twitter_reaches_half_a_billion_accounts_140m_in_the_US|title=Twitter reaches half a billion accounts – More than 140 millions in the U.S.|work=Semiocast|access-date=October 7, 2014|archive-date=October 11, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141011193735/http://semiocast.com/publications/2012_07_30_Twitter_reaches_half_a_billion_accounts_140m_in_the_US|url-status=dead}}</ref> A 2016 [[Pew Research Center|Pew research poll]] found that Twitter is used by 24% of all online US adults. It was equally popular with men and women (24% and 25% of online Americans respectively), but more popular with younger (36% of 18–29 year olds) generations.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.pewinternet.org/2016/11/11/social-media-update-2016/|title=Social Media Update 2016|date=November 11, 2016|work=Pew Research Center: Internet, Science & Tech|access-date=March 23, 2018|language=en-US}}</ref>
 
A 2019 survey conducted by the [[The Pew Charitable Trusts|Pew Foundation]] found that Twitter users are more likely than the general public to have both a college degree and higher income than the average U.S. adult. Users are also three times as likely to be younger than 50 years old, with the median age of adult U.S. users being 40 years old. The survey found that 10% of users who are most active on Twitter are responsible for 80% of all tweets, focusing mainly on the topics of politics and women.<ref>{{cite web|title=Sizing Up Twitter Users|date=April 24, 2019|url=https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2019/04/24/sizing-up-twitter-users/|publisher=Pew Research Center|author1=Stefan Wojcik|author2=Adam Hughes}}</ref>
 
=== Content ===
[[File:Content of Tweets.svg|thumb|Content of tweets according to Pear Analytics
{{legend|#093|News (3.6%)}}
{{legend|#90c|Spam (3.8%)}}
{{legend|#f90|Self-promotion (5.9%)}}
{{legend|#933|Pointless babble (40.1%)}}
{{legend|#1e1edc|Conversational (37.6%)}}
{{legend|#660|Pass-along value (8.7%)}}]]
 
[[San Antonio]]-based market-research firm Pear Analytics analyzed 2,000 tweets (originating from the United States and in English) over a two-week period in August 2009 from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm (CST) and separated them into six categories.<ref>{{Cite book |url=http://www.pearanalytics.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/Twitter-Study-August-2009.pdf |title=Twitter Study Reveals Interesting Results About Usage |date=August 12, 2009 |publisher=Pear Analytics |editor-last=Kelly |editor-first=Ryan |place=San Antonio, Texas |contribution=Twitter Study – August 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110715062407/http://www.pearanalytics.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/Twitter-Study-August-2009.pdf |archive-date=July 15, 2011 |url-status=dead}}</ref> [[Small talk|Pointless babble]] made up 40%, with 38% being conversational. Pass-along value had 9%, self-promotion 6% with [[Spam (electronic)|spam]] and news each making 4%.
 
Despite Jack Dorsey's own open contention that a message on Twitter is "a short burst of inconsequential information", social networking researcher [[danah boyd]] responded to the Pear Analytics survey by arguing that what the Pear researchers labeled "pointless babble" is better characterized as "[[social grooming]]" or "peripheral awareness" (which she justifies as persons "want[ing] to know what the people around them are thinking and doing and feeling, even when co-presence isn't viable").<ref>{{cite web |last=boyd |first=danah |author-link=danah boyd |date=August 16, 2009 |title=Twitter: "pointless babble" or peripheral awareness + social grooming? |url=http://www.zephoria.org/thoughts/archives/2009/08/16/twitter_pointle.html |access-date=September 19, 2009}}</ref> Similarly, a survey of Twitter users found that a more specific social role of passing along messages that include a hyperlink is an expectation of reciprocal linking by followers.<ref>{{cite journal |authors=Avery Holton, Kang Baek, Mark Coddington, Yaschur, Carolyn |year=2014 |title=Seeking and Sharing: Motivations for Linking on Twitter |url=https://semanticscholar.org/paper/891aa19e9b46d51fd1a1626cc659a9565041805d |journal=Communication Research Reports |volume=31 |issue=1 |pages=33–40 |doi=10.1080/08824096.2013.843165 |s2cid=143390964}}</ref>
 
=== Levels of use ===
According to research published in April 2014, around 44% of user accounts have never tweeted.<ref>{{cite news |author=Murphy, David |date=April 13, 2014 |title=44 Percent of Twitter Accounts Have Never Tweeted |work=PC Magazine |url=https://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2456489,00.asp}}</ref> About 22% of Americans say they have ever used Twitter, according to a 2019 [[Pew Research Center]] survey.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Share of U.S. adults using social media, including Facebook, is mostly unchanged since 2018|url=https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2019/04/10/share-of-u-s-adults-using-social-media-including-facebook-is-mostly-unchanged-since-2018/|access-date=July 11, 2020|website=Pew Research Center|language=en-US}}</ref> In 2009, [[Nielsen Online]] reported that Twitter had a user-retention rate of forty percent. Many people stop using the service after a month; therefore the site may potentially reach only about ten percent of all [[Global internet usage|Internet users]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Goldsmith |first=Belinda |date=April 29, 2009 |title=Many Twitters Are Quick Quitters: Study |work=[[Reuters]] |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/deborahCohen/idUSTRE53S1A720090429 |access-date=February 22, 2011}}</ref> Noting how demographics of Twitter users differ from the average Americans, commentators have cautioned against media narratives that treat Twitter as representative of the population,<ref>{{Cite web|last=Madrigal|first=Alexis C.|date=April 24, 2019|title=Twitter Is Not America|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2019/04/twitter-is-not-america/587770/|access-date=July 11, 2020|website=The Atlantic|language=en-US}}</ref> adding that only 10% of users Tweet actively, and that 90% of Twitter users have Tweeted no more than twice. In 2016, shareholders sued Twitter, alleging it "artificially inflated its stock price by misleading them about user engagement." The company announced on September 20, 2021, that it would pay $809.5 million to settle this class-action lawsuit.<ref>{{cite web|title=Twitter seeks to settle 2016 class action lawsuit for $800 million|date=September 20, 2021|url=https://denvergazette.com/news/twitter-seeks-to-settle-2016-class-action-lawsuit-for-800-million/article_1d801387-0c7b-5e43-9170-3b8820a322df.html|publisher=Denver Gazette|author1=Tom Hals|author2=Nivedita Balu|access-date=September 20, 2021|archive-date=September 21, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210921032702/https://denvergazette.com/news/twitter-seeks-to-settle-2016-class-action-lawsuit-for-800-million/article_1d801387-0c7b-5e43-9170-3b8820a322df.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>
 
== Branding ==
[[File:Twitter 2010 logo - from Commons.svg|thumb|The Twitter logo from September 14, 2010, to June 5, 2012, featuring the silhouette version of "Larry the Bird"]]
Twitter has become internationally identifiable by its signature bird logo, or the Twitter Bird. The original logo, which was simply the word ''Twitter'', was in use from its launch in March 2006. It was accompanied by an image of a bird which was later discovered to be a piece of [[clip art]] created by the British graphic designer [[Simon Oxley]].<ref name="nytimes logo">{{cite magazine|last=Rehak|first=Melanie|date=August 8, 2014|title=Who Made That Twitter Bird?|magazine=[[The New York Times Magazine]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/10/magazine/who-made-that-twitter-bird.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140809034054/http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/10/magazine/who-made-that-twitter-bird.html |archive-date=August 9, 2014 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|access-date=November 22, 2021}}</ref> A new logo had to be redesigned by founder Biz Stone with help from designer Philip Pascuzzo, which resulted in a more cartoon-like bird in 2009. This version had been named "Larry the Bird" after [[Larry Bird]] of the NBA's [[Boston Celtics]] fame.<ref name="nytimes logo" /><ref>{{cite news|last=Freeman|first=Eric|date=August 2011|title=Twitter's Logo Is Named After Larry Bird|publisher=[[Yahoo!Sports]]|url=https://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nba-ball-dont-lie/twitter-logo-named-larry-bird-005145351.html|access-date=March 1, 2012}}</ref>
 
Within a year, the Larry the Bird logo underwent a redesign by Stone and Pascuzzo to eliminate the cartoon features, leaving a solid silhouette of Larry the Bird that was used from 2010 through 2012.<ref name="nytimes logo" /> In 2012, Douglas Bowman created a further simplified version of Larry the Bird, keeping the solid silhouette but making it more similar to a [[mountain bluebird]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Halliday|first=Josh|date=June 7, 2012|title=No flipping the bird! Twitter unveils strict usage guidelines for new logo|work=The Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/pda/2012/jun/07/flipping-bird-twitter-new-logo|access-date=October 11, 2014}}</ref> This new logo was called simply the "Twitter Bird" and has been used as the company's branding since.<ref name="nytimes logo" /><ref>{{cite news|last=Griggs|first=Brandon|date=June 7, 2012|title=Twitter's bird logo gets a makeover|publisher=CNN|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2012/06/06/tech/social-media/twitter-bird-logo/|access-date=June 7, 2012}}</ref>
 
==Finances ==
===Revenue sources===
[[File:Twitter Headquarters.jpg|thumb|Twitter's San Francisco headquarters located at 1355 Market Street]]On April 13, 2010, Twitter announced plans to offer paid [[advertising]] for companies that would be able to purchase "promoted tweets" to appear in selective search results on the Twitter website, similar to [[Adwords|Google Adwords']] advertising model.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2010/apr/13/twitter-advertising-google |work=[[The Guardian]] |title=Twitter Unveils 'Promoted Tweets' Ad Plan&nbsp;– Twitter To Let Advertisers Pay for Tweets To Appear in Search Results |first=Charles |last=Arthur |date=April 13, 2010 | access-date=February 23, 2011 |location=London}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Sara |last=Kimberley |url=http://www.mediaweek.co.uk/news/996226/Twitter-debuts-Promoted-Tweets-ad-platform/ |title=Twitter Debuts 'Promoted Tweets' Ad Platform |publisher=[[MediaWeek]] (U.K. edition) |date=April 13, 2010 |access-date=February 5, 2011}}</ref> Users' photos can generate royalty-free revenue for Twitter, and an agreement with [[World Entertainment News Network]] (WENN) was announced in May 2011.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.bjp-online.com/british-journal-of-photography/news/2070167/twitpic-signs-controversial-deal-celebrity-photo-agency#update |title=Photo agency's CEO addresses TwitPic controversy |work=[[British Journal of Photography]] |date=May 11, 2011 |access-date=August 17, 2011 |author=Laurent, Olivier |location=London |quote=The deal will give WENN exclusive rights to sell images posted on the TwitPic service. |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110803071054/http://www.bjp-online.com/british-journal-of-photography/news/2070167/twitpic-signs-controversial-deal-celebrity-photo-agency |archive-date=August 3, 2011 }}</ref> Twitter generated an estimated US$139.5&nbsp;million in advertising sales during 2011.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Twitter Ad Revenues to Grow 210% to $139.5 Million in 2011 |url=https://www.emarketer.com/newsroom/index.php/twitter-ad-revenues-grow-210-1395-million-2011/ |access-date=2022-05-09 |language=en-US}}</ref>
 
In June 2011, Twitter announced that it would offer small businesses a self-service advertising system.<ref>{{cite web|first=Todd |last=Wasserman |url=http://mashable.com/2011/06/09/twitter-ad-buying/ |title=Twitter Will Automate Ad-Buying by the End of the Year |publisher=Mashable.com |date=June 9, 2011 |access-date=November 14, 2011}}</ref> The self-service advertising platform was launched in March 2012 to [[American Express]] card members and merchants in the U.S. on an invite-only basis.<ref name="Zach">{{cite web|first1=Zach|last1=Miners|title=Twitter opens self-service ads to everyone|url=http://www.cmo.com.au/article/460553/twitter_opens_self-service_ads_everyone/|website=CMO|publisher=IDG Communications|access-date=August 18, 2014|date=April 30, 2013}}</ref> To continue their advertising campaign, Twitter announced on March 20, 2012, that promoted tweets would be introduced to mobile devices.<ref>[http://mashable.com/2012/03/20/twitter-promoted-tweets-mobile/ "Twitter Rolls Out Promoted Tweets for Mobile"]; Wasserman, Todd. March 20, 2012. mashable.com.</ref> In April 2013, Twitter announced that its Twitter Ads self-service platform, consisting of promoted tweets and promoted accounts, was available to all U.S. users without an invite.<ref name="Zach" />
 
On August 3, 2016, Twitter launched Instant Unlock Card, a new feature that encourages people to tweet about a brand in order to earn rewards and utilize the social media network's conversational ads. The format itself consists of images or videos with call-to-action buttons and a customizable hashtag.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Twitter Is Helping Brands Drive Conversations With Instant Unlock Cards |url=http://www.adweek.com/news/technology/twitter-helping-brands-drive-conversations-instant-unlock-cards-172806 |first=Mary|last=Swant|magazine=Adweek |access-date=August 4, 2016}}</ref>
 
===Advertising bans===
In October 2017, Twitter banned the Russian media outlets [[RT (TV network)|RT]] and [[Sputnik (news agency)|Sputnik]] from advertising on their website following the conclusions of the U.S. national intelligence report the previous January that both Sputnik and RT had been used as vehicles for [[Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections|Russia's interference in the 2016 US presidential election]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Dwoskin|first=Elizabeth |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-switch/wp/2017/10/26/twitter-bans-russian-government-news-sites-rt-and-sputnik-from-buying-ads/|title=Twitter bans Russian government-owned news sites RT and Sputnik from buying ads|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=October 26, 2017|access-date=February 25, 2020}}</ref> [[Maria Zakharova]] for the [[Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Russia)|Russian foreign ministry]] said the ban was a "gross violation" by the US of free speech.<ref>{{cite news|title = Twitter Bans Ads From Russia Today and the Sputnik Network, Citing Election Meddling|url = https://www.time.com/4999788/twitter-bans-russia-today-sputnik-ads/|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20171027043950/http://time.com/4999788/twitter-bans-russia-today-sputnik-ads/|url-status = dead|archive-date = October 27, 2017|magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]|date = October 27, 2017|access-date = July 26, 2018}}</ref>
 
In October 2019, Twitter announced it would stop running political ads on its ad platform effective November 22. This resulted from several spurious claims made by political ads. Company CEO Dorsey clarified that internet advertising had great power and was extremely effective for commercial advertisers, the power brings significant risks to politics where crucial decisions impact millions of lives.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.news18.com/news/tech/twitter-bans-political-ads-on-its-platform-pressure-up-on-defiant-facebook-2368007.html|title=Twitter Bans Political Ads on Its Platform, Pressure Up on Defiant Facebook|website=News18|date=October 31, 2019|access-date=October 31, 2019}}</ref>
 
In April 2022, Twitter announced a ban on "misleading" advertisements that go against "the scientific consensus on climate change". While the company did not give full guidelines, it stated that the decisions would be made with the help of "authoritative sources", including the [[United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change|Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/2022/4/22/23037677/twitter-bans-climate-change-misinformation-ads|title=Twitter bans 'misleading' ads about climate change|last=Calma|first=Justine|website=The Verge|date=April 22, 2022|access-date=April 23, 2022}}</ref>


==Technology==
==Technology==
===Implementation===
===Interface===
Twitter places great reliance on [[open-source software]].<ref name="zdnet vaughannichols 2012">{{cite news|last=Vaughan-Nichols|first=Steven|title=How Twitter tweets your tweets with open source|url=https://www.zdnet.com/how-twitter-tweets-your-tweets-with-open-source-7000003526/|access-date=September 10, 2012|newspaper=[[ZDNet]]|date=August 30, 2012}}</ref> The Twitter Web interface uses the [[Ruby on Rails]] framework,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.forbes.com/forbes/2009/0622/software-internet-innovation-digital-tools.html |title=The Pied Piper of Pay|work=[[Forbes]] |first=Lee |last=Gomes |date=June 22, 2009 |access-date=June 16, 2009}}</ref> deployed on a performance enhanced [[Ruby Enterprise Edition]] implementation of [[Ruby (programming language)|Ruby]].<ref>{{cite web|first=Ryan |last=King |date = September 25, 2009 |title = Twitter on Ruby |url = http://blog.evanweaver.com/articles/2009/09/24/ree/ |quote=We recently migrated Twitter from a custom Ruby 1.8.6 build to a Ruby Enterprise Edition release candidate, courtesy of Phusion. Our primary motivation was the integration of Brent's MBARI patches, which increase memory stability. |access-date=October 31, 2009}}</ref>
On April 30, 2009, Twitter changed the way it looks on the web. They added a search bar and a space on the right side of the page with "[[trending topic|Trending Topics]]". That space shows the most common phrases appearing in messages. [[Biz Stone]] explained that all messages are instantly [[Index (search engine)|indexed]] and explained the results of the change. The Trending Topics has made Twitter something "unexpectedly important — a discovery engine for finding out what is happening right now."<ref>{{cite web|access-date=May 7, 2008 |url=http://blog.twitter.com/2009/04/twitter-search-for-everyone.html |title= Twitter Search for Everyone! |publisher=Twitter |date=April 30, 2009|last=Stone|first=Biz|author-link=Biz Stone}}</ref>


In the early days of Twitter, tweets were stored in [[MySQL]] databases that were temporally [[Shard (database architecture)|sharded]] (large databases were split based on time of posting). After the huge volume of tweets coming in caused problems reading from and writing to these databases, the company decided that the system needed re-engineering.<ref name="raffi">{{cite web|url=https://blog.twitter.com/engineering/en_us/a/2013/new-tweets-per-second-record-and-how|title=New Tweets per second record, and how!|first=Raffi|last=Krikorian|date=August 16, 2013|access-date=November 22, 2021|work=Twitter Blogs|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130822102815/https://blog.twitter.com/2013/new-tweets-per-second-record-and-how|archive-date=August 22, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref>
===Service problems===
Sometimes Twitter users experience a problem with the service and cannot access the website. They cannot read or write tweets but only see the ''[[Fail Whale]]'' image created by Yiying Lu,<ref>{{Cite news|first=Rob|last=Walker|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/15/magazine/15wwln_consumed-t.html?_r=2|title=Fail Whale|work=Consumed|publisher=New York Times Magazine|page=17|date=February 15, 2009|access-date=February 15, 2009}}</ref>


From Spring 2007 to 2008, the messages were handled by a Ruby [[persistent data structure|persistent]] queue server called [[Starling (software)|Starling]].<ref>{{cite web|access-date=January 11, 2009 |url=http://dev.twitter.com/2008/01/announcing-starling.html |title=Announcing Starling |publisher=Twitter |date=January 16, 2008 |last=Payne |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080120141113/http://dev.twitter.com/2008/01/announcing-starling.html|archive-date=January 20, 2008}}</ref> Since 2009, implementation has been gradually replaced with software written in [[Scala (programming language)|Scala]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.artima.com/scalazine/articles/twitter_on_scala.html |title=Twitter on Scala |date=April 3, 2009 |first=Bill |last=Venners |publisher=Artima Developer |access-date=June 17, 2009}}</ref> The switch from Ruby to Scala and the [[Java Virtual Machine|JVM]] has given Twitter a performance boost from 200 to 300 requests per second per host to around 10,000–20,000 requests per second per host. This boost was greater than the 10x improvement that Twitter's engineers envisioned when starting the switch. The continued development of Twitter has also involved a switch from monolithic development of a single app to an architecture where different services are built independently and joined through [[remote procedure call]]s.<ref name="raffi" />
Twitter worked well approximately 98% of the time in 2007. That is about six full days of no service.<ref name="downtime2">{{cite web|access-date=June 17, 2009|url=http://royal.pingdom.com/2007/12/19/twitter-growing-pains-cause-lots-of-downtime-in-2007/|title=Twitter growing pains cause lots of downtime in 2007|publisher=Pingdom|date=December 19, 2007|archive-date=December 29, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101229114042/http://royal.pingdom.com/2007/12/19/twitter-growing-pains-cause-lots-of-downtime-in-2007/|url-status=dead}}</ref> The problems were particularly noticeable during events popular with the technology industry such as the 2008 [[Macworld Conference & Expo]] [[keynote|keynote address]].<ref name="downtime3">{{cite web|access-date=May 7, 2008|url=http://blog.twitter.com/2008/01/macworld.html|title=MacWorld|publisher=Twitter|date=January 15, 2008|author=Dorsey, Jack}}</ref><ref name="downtime4">{{cite web|access-date=May 7, 2008|url=http://theappslab.com/2008/01/15/macworld-brings-twitter-to-its-knees/|title=MacWorld Brings Twitter to its Knees|publisher=Oracle AppsLab|date=January 15, 2008|author=Kuramoto, Jake}}</ref>


As of April 6, 2011, Twitter engineers confirmed that they had switched away from their Ruby on Rails search stack to a [[Java (programming language)|Java]] server they call Blender.<ref name="Twitter coding">{{cite news|url=https://blog.twitter.com/2011/twitter-search-is-now-3x-faster |title=Twitter Search Is Now 3x Faster|date=April 6, 2011}}</ref>
*May 2008, Twitter's new engineering team made changes to the structure of Twitter to handle the amount of growth. Problems with stability caused the service to stop working sometimes and forced Twitter to cancel some features for a short time.
 
*August 2008, Twitter stopped free [[SMS]] services for users in the United Kingdom<ref>{{cite web|access-date=June 14, 2009 |url=http://blog.twitter.com/2008/08/changes-for-some-sms-usersgood-and-bad.html |title=Changes for Some SMS Users—Good and Bad News |publisher=Twitter (blog) |date=August 13, 2008}}</ref> and for approximately five months instant messaging support via a [[Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol|XMPP]] [[Internet bot|bot]] was listed as being "temporarily unavailable".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://getsatisfaction.com/twitter/topics/twitter_im_down_may_23rd_may24th |date=May 23, 2008 |first=Jack |last=Dorsey |author-link=Jack Dorsey |title=Twitter IM down May 23rd–May 24th |publisher=[[Get Satisfaction]] |access-date=July 29, 2008 |archive-date=July 29, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080729013427/http://getsatisfaction.com/twitter/topics/twitter_im_down_may_23rd_may24th |url-status=dead }}</ref>
Individual tweets are registered under unique IDs called [[Snowflake ID|snowflakes]], and geolocation data is added using 'Rockdove'. The URL shortener ''[[t.co]]'' then checks for a [[Messaging spam|spam]] link and shortens the URL. Next, the tweets are stored in a MySQL database using [[Gizzard (Scala framework)|Gizzard]], and the user receives an acknowledgement that the tweets were sent. Tweets are then sent to search engines via the [[Firehose (software)|Firehose]] API. The process is managed by [[FlockDB]] and takes an average of {{nowrap|350 ms}}.<ref name="zdnet vaughannichols 2012" />
*June 12, 2009, there was a serious problem with the unique number that identifies each tweet. This was called a possible "Twitpocalypse". (This is a combination of Twitter and [[apocalypse]]). The number that labels each tweet went beyond the limit of [[32-bit]] signed [[integer (computer science)|integers]]. That limit was 2,147,483,647 messages.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://techcrunch.com/2009/06/12/all-hell-may-break-loose-on-twitter-in-2-hours/|title=Twitter Moves Up The Twitpocalypse. All Hell May Break Loose Today.|first=MG|last=Siegler |date=June 12, 2009 |publisher=[[TechCrunch]]|access-date=July 18, 2009}}</ref> While Twitter itself was not affected, some third-party clients could not access recent tweets. Software developers made [[Patch (computing)|Patches]] quickly. However, some [[iPhone]] applications had to wait for approval from the [[App Store (iOS)|App Store]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://blogs.news.com.au/techblog/index.php/news/comments/macchat_2009_the_age_of_the_twitpocalypse/56653 |title=The age of the Twitpocalypse |publisher=[[News Limited]] |work=news.com.au |first=John |last=O'Brien |date=June 24, 2009 |access-date=July 13, 2009 |archive-date=July 11, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090711184032/http://blogs.news.com.au/techblog/index.php/news/comments/macchat_2009_the_age_of_the_twitpocalypse/56653 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
 
*September 22, 2009, the identifier went past the limit for 32-bit ''unsigned'' integers (4,294,967,296 total messages). This broke some third-party applications again.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mashable.com/2009/09/21/twitpocalypse-ii-update/ |title=Twitpocalypse II: Twitter Apps Might Break Tomorrow |first=Ben |last=Parr |website=[[Mashable]] |date=September 21, 2009 |access-date=September 23, 2009}}</ref>
On August 16, 2013, [[Raffi Krikorian]], Twitter's vice president of platform engineering, shared in a blog post that the company's infrastructure handled almost 143,000 tweets per second during that week, setting a new record. Krikorian explained that Twitter achieved this record by blending its homegrown and open source technologies.<ref name="raffi" /><ref>{{cite web|title=How Twitter scaled its infrastructure to handle record tweet-per-second days|url=http://gigaom.com/2013/08/16/how-twitter-scaled-it-infrastructure-to-handle-record-tweet-per-second-days/|work=GIGAOM|publisher=GIGAOM|access-date=August 17, 2013|first=Om|last=Malik|date=August 17, 2013}}</ref>
*August 6, 2009, Twitter and [[Facebook]] both suffered a [[denial-of-service attack]]. This stopped the Twitter website from working for several hours.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.informationweek.com/news/security/attacks/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=219100308|title=Twitter Downed By Denial Of Service Attack|publisher=[[InformationWeek]]|first=Thomas|last=Claburn|date=August 6, 2009|access-date=August 6, 2009|archive-date=August 8, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090808212046/http://www.informationweek.com/news/security/attacks/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=219100308|url-status=dead}}</ref> The attacks were actually directed at one [[Georgia (country)|pro-Georgian]] user around the anniversary of the [[2008 South Ossetia War]], rather than the sites themselves.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8189162.stm |title=Web attack 'aimed at one blogger' |publisher=BBC News |date=August 7, 2009 |access-date=August 7, 2009}}</ref>
 
*December 17, 2009, a hacking attack replaced the website's welcoming screen for almost one hour. Users saw an image of a green flag and the words "This site has been hacked by Iranian Cyber Army". So far there is no proof of any connection between the hackers and the government of Iran.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2009/TECH/12/18/twitter.hacked/index.html |title=CNN: Twitter attacked |publisher=Edition.cnn.com |date=December 18, 2009 |access-date=March 28, 2010}}</ref>
=== API and developer platform ===
Twitter is recognized for having one of the most open and powerful developer [[API|APIs]] of any major technology company.<ref>{{Cite news |date=January 11, 2012 |title=Top 10 Web APIs – Bridging Today's Technology |language=en-US |newspaper=WebDAM |url=https://webdam.com/blog/top-10-web-apis_bridging-todays-technology/ |access-date=December 18, 2016}}</ref> The service's API allows other [[web service]]s and applications to integrate with Twitter.<ref>{{cite web |title=Twitter API Wiki / FrontPage |url=http://apiwiki.twitter.com/ |access-date=September 18, 2010 |publisher=Apiwiki.twitter.com}}</ref> Developer interest in Twitter began immediately following its launch, prompting the company to release the first version of its public API in September 2006.<ref>{{cite web |title=Introducing the Twitter API {{!}} Twitter Blogs |url=https://blog.twitter.com/2006/introducing-the-twitter-api |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161223145220/https://blog.twitter.com/2006/introducing-the-twitter-api |archive-date=December 23, 2016 |access-date=December 18, 2016 |website=blog.twitter.com}}</ref> The API quickly became iconic as a reference implementation for public [[REST API]]s and is widely cited in programming tutorials.<ref>{{cite web |title=Ruby on Rails Tutorial (Rails 5) |url=https://www.railstutorial.org/book/beginning |access-date=December 18, 2016 |website=Softcover.io}}</ref>
 
From 2006 until 2010, Twitter's developer platform experienced strong growth and a highly favorable reputation. Developers built upon the public API to create the first Twitter mobile phone clients as well as the first URL shortener. Between 2010 and 2012, however, Twitter made a number of decisions that were received unfavorably by the developer community.<ref>{{Cite news |date=March 23, 2016 |title=Twitter's 10 Year Struggle with Developer Relations {{!}} Nordic APIs {{!}} |language=en-US |newspaper=Nordic APIs |url=http://nordicapis.com/twitter-10-year-struggle-with-developer-relations/ |access-date=December 18, 2016}}</ref> In 2010, Twitter mandated that all developers adopt OAuth authentication with just 9 weeks of notice.<ref>{{cite web |last=Parr |first=Ben |date=April 25, 2010 |title=Twitter Launches Countdown to OAuthcalypse |url=http://mashable.com/2010/04/24/twitter-oauthcalypse/ |access-date=December 18, 2016 |website=Mashable}}</ref> Later that year, Twitter launched its own URL shortener, in direct competition with some of its most well-known third-party developers.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Twitter to launch URL shortener and may block TinyURL and bit.ly |language=en-GB |newspaper=ComputerWeekly |url=http://www.computerweekly.com/news/1280092587/Twitter-to-launch-URL-shortener-and-may-block-TinyURL-and-bitly |access-date=December 18, 2016}}</ref> And in 2012, Twitter introduced stricter usage limits for its API, "completely crippling" some developers.<ref>{{cite web |last=Streams |first=Kimber |date=November 11, 2012 |title=Tweetro says it's 'completely crippled' by Twitter's strict 100,000 user token limit |url=https://www.theverge.com/2012/11/11/3631108/tweetro-user-token-limit-api |access-date=December 18, 2016 |website=The Verge}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Wauters |first=Robin |date=August 17, 2012 |title=Twitter API Changes Set Maximum User Cap for 3rd Parties |url=https://thenextweb.com/twitter/2012/08/17/twitter-4 |access-date=May 9, 2013 |publisher=Thenextweb.com}}</ref> While these moves successfully increased the stability and security of the service, they were broadly perceived as hostile to developers, causing them to lose trust in the platform.<ref>{{cite web |last=Ha |first=Anthony |title=Twitter Handcuffs Client Apps With New API Changes |url=https://techcrunch.com/2012/08/16/twitter-api-client-apps/ |access-date=December 18, 2016 |website=TechCrunch}}</ref>
 
In July 2020, Twitter released version 2.0 of the public API<ref>{{Cite web |title=Twitter introduces a new, fully rebuilt developer API, launching next week |url=https://social.techcrunch.com/2020/07/16/twitter-introduces-a-new-fully-rebuilt-developer-api-launching-next-week/ |access-date=2022-04-28 |website=TechCrunch |language=en-US}}</ref> and began showcasing Twitter apps made by third-party developers on its Twitter Toolbox section in April 2022.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Twitter wants to win back developer trus |url=https://social.techcrunch.com/2022/04/21/twitter-to-promote-developers-apps-directly-on-its-platform/ |access-date=2022-04-28 |website=TechCrunch |language=en-US}}</ref>
 
===Innovators patent agreement===
On April 17, 2012, Twitter announced it would implement an "Innovators Patent Agreement" which would obligate Twitter to only use its patents {{cl-span|for defensive purposes|date=July 2020}}.<ref>{{cite web |last=O'Brien |first=Terrence |date=April 17, 2012 |title=Twitter introduces Innovators Patent Agreement, vows to not abuse patent system |url=https://www.engadget.com/2012/04/17/twitter-introduces-innovators-patent-agreement/ |access-date=August 11, 2012 |work=[[Engadget]] |publisher=[[AOL]]}}</ref>


===Open source===
===Open source===
Twitter has a history of both using and releasing [[open-source software]] while overcoming technical challenges of their service.<ref>{{cite web |title=Twitter / OpenSource |url=https://dev.twitter.com/opensource |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130415194622/https://dev.twitter.com/opensource |archive-date=April 15, 2013 |access-date=April 18, 2013 |publisher=Twitter.com}}</ref> A page in their developer documentation thanks dozens of open-source projects which they have used, from [[revision control]] software like [[Git (software)|Git]] to programming languages such as Ruby and Scala.<ref>{{cite web |title=Open Source Thanks |url=https://dev.twitter.com/opensource/thanks |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130415200840/https://dev.twitter.com/opensource/thanks |archive-date=April 15, 2013 |access-date=April 18, 2013 |publisher=Twitter}}</ref> Software released as open source by the company includes the [[Gizzard (Scala framework)|Gizzard Scala framework]] for creating distributed datastores, the distributed graph database [[FlockDB]], the Finagle library for building asynchronous [[remote procedure call|RPC]] servers and clients, the TwUI [[user interface]] framework for [[iOS]], and the Bower client-side package manager.<ref>{{cite web |title=Open Source |url=https://twitter.github.io/ |access-date=January 4, 2017 |publisher=Twitter}}</ref> The popular [[Bootstrap (front-end framework)|Bootstrap frontend framework]] was also started at Twitter and is 10th most popular repository on [[GitHub]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Search: Stars>1 |url=https://github.com/search?q=stars%3A%3E1&s=stars&type=Repositories |access-date=February 27, 2020 |publisher=GitHub}}</ref>
Twitter developed several software projects to improve their own service. The company shared these as [[open source]] software.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://twitter.com/about/opensource |title=Twitter / OpenSource |publisher=Twitter.com |access-date=2010-06-01 |archive-date=2010-06-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100602014659/http://twitter.com/about/opensource |url-status=dead }}</ref> Some of these software projects are related to databases, such as the [[Gizzard (scala framework)|Gizzard Scala framework]] and a distributed graph database called [[FlockDB]].
 
===Interface===
Twitter introduced the first major redesign of its user interface in September 2010, adopting a dual-pane layout with a navigation bar along the top of the screen, and an increased focus on the inline embedding of multimedia content. Critics considered the redesign an attempt to emulate features and experiences found in mobile apps and third-party Twitter clients.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.adweek.com/digital/history-of-twitter-redesigns/|title=A Brief History Of Twitter's Many Redesigns|website=Adweek.com|language=en-US|access-date=July 17, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.wired.com/2010/09/take-a-tour-of-the-new-twitter/|title=Take a Tour of the New Twitter|last=Calore|first=Michael|date=September 16, 2010|magazine=Wired|access-date=July 17, 2019|issn=1059-1028}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://mashable.com/2010/09/14/new-twitter-web-interface/|title=Here Comes the New Twitter.com|last=Ostrow|first=Adam|website=Mashable|language=en|access-date=July 17, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://mashable.com/2010/09/14/new-twitter-app/|title=The New Twitter Is an Attack on All Desktop Apps|last=Grove|first=Jennifer Van|website=Mashable|date=September 15, 2010|language=en|access-date=July 17, 2019}}</ref>
 
The new layout was revised in 2011 with a focus on continuity with the web and mobile versions, introducing "Connect" (interactions with other users such as replies) and "Discover" (further information regarding trending topics and news headlines) tabs, an updated profile design, and moving all content to the right pane (leaving the left pane dedicated to functions and the trending topics list).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/2011/12/8/2621244/twitter-redesign-pictures-video|title=Twitter app and website redesign: hands-on pictures and video|last=Houston|first=Thomas|date=December 8, 2011|website=The Verge|access-date=July 17, 2019}}</ref> In March 2012, Twitter became available in [[Arabic language|Arabic]], [[Persian language|Farsi]], [[Hebrew language|Hebrew]] and [[Urdu]], the first right-to-left language versions of the site.<ref>{{cite news | title =Twitter Arabic, Farsi, Hebrew and Urdu version launch| date=March 7, 2012|access-date=March 7, 2012| work=BBC News | url =https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-17286684 }}</ref> {{As of|2012|August}}, the site available in 33 different languages.<ref>{{cite news | title =Twitter Now Available in Basque, Czech, Greek| date=August 6, 2012|access-date=August 7, 2012| work=PC Magazine | url =https://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2408123,00.asp}}</ref>
 
In September 2012, a new layout for profiles was introduced, with larger "covers" that could be customized with a custom header image, and a display of the user's recent photos posted.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2012/sep/18/twitter-redesign-photos|title=Twitter redesign makes more of photos|last=O'Carroll|first=Lisa|date=September 18, 2012|work=The Guardian|access-date=July 17, 2019|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077}}</ref> The "Discover" tab was discontinued in April 2015,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/2015/4/8/8371319/twitter-is-killing-off-its-discover-tab|title=Twitter is killing off its Discover tab|last=Popper|first=Ben|date=April 8, 2015|website=The Verge|access-date=July 17, 2019}}</ref> and was succeeded on the mobile app by an "Explore" tab—which features trending topics and moments.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/2017/1/26/14391240/twitter-explore-tab-moments-redesign|title=Twitter replaces the Moments tab with Explore|last=Newton|first=Casey|date=January 26, 2017|website=The Verge|access-date=July 17, 2019}}</ref>
 
In September 2018, Twitter began to migrate selected web users to its [[Progressive web applications|progressive web app]] (based on its Twitter Lite experience for mobile web), reducing the interface to two columns. Migrations to this iteration of Twitter increased in April 2019, with some users receiving it with a modified layout.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnet.com/news/twitter-launches-redesigned-desktop-layout/|title=Twitter tests new desktop layouts|last=Musil|first=Steven|website=CNET|language=en|access-date=July 17, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2018/09/progressive-web-apps-moving-mainstream-as-twitter-makes-its-mobile-site-the-main-one/|title=Progressive Web Apps moving mainstream as Twitter makes its mobile site the main one|last=Bright|first=Peter|date=September 6, 2018|website=Ars Technica|language=en-us|access-date=July 17, 2019}}</ref>
 
In July 2019, Twitter officially released this redesign, with no further option to opt-out while logged in. It is designed to further-unify Twitter's user experience between the web and [[mobile application]] versions, adopting a three-column layout with a sidebar containing links to common areas (including "Explore" that has been merged with the search page) which previously appeared in a horizontal top bar, profile elements such as picture and header images and biography texts merged into the same column as the timeline, and features from the mobile version (such as multi-account support, and an opt-out for the "top tweets" mode on the timeline).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2019/07/twitter-is-changing-twitter-com-to-be-more-like-mobile-app/|title=Twitter is changing Twitter.com to be more like mobile app|last=Gallagher|first=Sean|date=July 15, 2019|website=Ars Technica|language=en-us|access-date=July 17, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/2019/7/15/20695120/twitter-desktop-redesign-dark-mode-mobile-features|title=Twitter desktop redesign adopts some of its mobile app's best features|last=Lee|first=Dami|date=July 15, 2019|website=The Verge|access-date=July 17, 2019}}</ref>
 
=== Security ===
A security vulnerability was reported on April 7, 2007, by Nitesh Dhanjani and Rujith. Since Twitter used the [[Telephone number|phone number]] of the sender of an [[SMS]] message as authentication, malicious users could update someone else's status page by using [[SMS spoofing]].<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Gilbertson |first=Scott |date=June 11, 2007 |title=Twitter Vulnerability: Spoof Caller ID To Take Over Any Account |url=http://www.webmonkey.com/2007/04/twitter_vulnerability_spoof_caller_id_to_take_over_any_account/ |url-status=dead |magazine=Wired |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721211341/http://www.webmonkey.com/2007/04/twitter_vulnerability_spoof_caller_id_to_take_over_any_account/ |archive-date=July 21, 2011 |access-date=February 5, 2011}}</ref> The vulnerability could be used if the spoofer knew the phone number registered to their victim's account. Within a few weeks of this discovery, Twitter introduced an optional [[personal identification number]] (PIN) that its users could use to authenticate their SMS-originating messages.<ref>{{cite web |last=Leyden |first=John |date=March 6, 2009 |title=Twitter SMS Spoofing Still Undead |url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/03/06/twitter_sms_spoofing_risk/ |access-date=June 17, 2009 |work=[[The Register]]}}</ref>
 
On January 5, 2009, 33&nbsp;high-profile Twitter accounts were compromised after a Twitter administrator's password was guessed by a [[dictionary attack]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Stone |first=Biz |author-link=Biz Stone |date=January 5, 2009 |title=Monday Morning Madness |url=http://blog.twitter.com/2009/01/monday-morning-madness.html |access-date=June 17, 2009}}</ref> Some of the compromised accounts sent falsified tweets, including drug-related messages.<ref>{{cite web |last=Wortham |first=Jenna |date=January 5, 2009 |title=Twitter-Savvy Hackers Tweak the Twitterati |url=https://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/01/05/twitter-hit-by-hacker-phishers/ |newspaper=The New York Times}}</ref>
 
In May 2010, a bug was discovered by [[İnci Sözlük]] that could allow a Twitter user to force others to follow them without the other users' consent or knowledge. For example, comedian [[Conan O'Brien]]'s account, which had been set to follow only one person, was changed to receive nearly 200 malicious subscriptions.<ref>{{cite web |last=Ostrow |first=Adam |date=May 10, 2010 |title=Twitter Bug Lets You Control Who Follows You |url=http://mashable.com/2010/05/10/twitter-follow-bug/ |access-date=May 11, 2010 |work=[[Mashable]]}}</ref>


In response to Twitter's security breaches, the United States [[Federal Trade Commission]] (FTC) brought charges against the service; the charges were settled on June 24, 2010. This was the first time the FTC had taken action against a social network for security lapses. The settlement requires Twitter to take a number of steps to secure users' private information, including maintenance of a "comprehensive information security program" to be independently audited biannually.<ref>{{cite web |last=Gonsalves |first=Antone |date=June 25, 2010 |title=Twitter, Feds Settle Security Charges&nbsp;– Twitter Must Establish and Maintain a 'Comprehensive Information Security Program' and Allow Third-Party Review of the Program Biannually for the 10 Years |url=http://www.informationweek.com/news/security/privacy/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=225701450&subSection=Privacy |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101023083911/http://www.informationweek.com/news/security/privacy/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=225701450&subSection=Privacy |archive-date=October 23, 2010 |access-date=February 23, 2011 |work=[[InformationWeek]]}}</ref>
==t.co==
'''t.co''' is a service created by Twitter to make [[Uniform Resource Locator|URLs]] shorter.<ref name=twitterhelpshort>{{cite web |url=http://support.twitter.com/entries/109623 |title=About Twitter's Link Service (http://t.co) |access-date=2010-09-03 |archive-date=2011-02-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110225203154/http://support.twitter.com/entries/109623 |url-status=dead }}</ref> It can only be used for links that people post to Twitter. It is not available for other uses.<ref name=twitterhelpshort /> Eventually all links on Twitter will use t.co.<ref name=twitterblog>{{cite web |url=http://blog.twitter.com/2010/06/links-and-twitter-length-shouldnt.html |title=Twitter Blog: Links and Twitter: Length Shouldn't Matter |access-date=2010-09-03}}</ref> The company hopes that the service will protect users from harmful websites.<ref name=twitterhelpshort /> They will also use it to keep a record of people clicking on links in tweets.<ref name=twitterhelpshort /><ref name=register>{{cite web |url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/09/02/twitter_ipad_app_and_url_shortener/ |title=Twitter tightens grip on own firehose |website=[[The Register]] |access-date=2010-09-03}}</ref>


A "MouseOver" exploit occurred on September 21, 2010, when an [[XSS worm]] became active on Twitter. When a user held the [[mouseover|mouse cursor over]] blacked-out parts of a tweet, the worm within the script would automatically open links and re-post itself on the reader's account.<ref name="BBCscram">{{cite news |author=Fildes, Jonathan |date=September 21, 2010 |title=Twitter Scrambles To Block Worms |work=[[BBC News]] |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-11382469 |access-date=February 23, 2011}}</ref> The exploit was then re-used to post [[pop-up ads]] and links to [[Internet pornography|pornographic sites]]. The origin of the worm is unclear, but Pearce H. Delphin (known on Twitter as @zzap) and a Scandinavian developer, Magnus Holm, both claim to have modified a related exploit found by another user (possibly Masato Kinugawa) who was using it to create colored Tweets.<ref name="Mashable">{{cite web |author=Schroeder, Stan |date=September 22, 2010 |title=17-Year-Old Australian Boy, Japanese Developer Take Blame for Twitter Meltdown |url=http://mashable.com/2010/09/22/twitter-meltdown-17-year-old/ |access-date=February 23, 2011 |work=[[Mashable]]}}</ref> Kinugawa, a Japanese developer, reported the XSS vulnerability to Twitter on August 14. Later, when he found it was exploitable again, he created the account 'RainbowTwtr' and used it to post colored messages.<ref name="Mashable" /> Delphin says he exposed the security flaw by tweeting a [[JavaScript]] function for "onMouseOver",<ref name="Mashable" /> and Holm later created and posted the XSS worm that automatically re-tweeted itself.<ref name="BBCscram" /> Security firm Sophos reported that the virus was spread by people doing it for "fun and games", but noted it could be exploited by cybercriminals.<ref name="BBCscram" /> Twitter issued a statement on their status blog at 13:50 UTC that "The exploit is fully patched."<ref name="BBCscram" /><ref>{{cite web |title=Twitter Status&nbsp;– XSS Attack Identified and Patched |url=http://status.twitter.com/post/1161435117/xss-attack-identified-and-patched |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100923060722/http://status.twitter.com/post/1161435117/xss-attack-identified-and-patched |archive-date=September 23, 2010 |access-date=September 21, 2010 |work=status.twitter.com}}</ref> Twitter representative Carolyn Penner said no charges would be pressed.<ref>{{Cite news |date=September 22, 2010 |title=Kiwi Link To Twitter 'Mouseover' Chaos |work=[[The New Zealand Herald]] |url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/technology/news/article.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10675311 |access-date=February 23, 2011}}
===History===
</ref>
[[File:Twitter Logo.png|thumb|Twitter logo]]
Twitter had used the services from other sites such as [[TinyURL]] and [[bit.ly]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.businessinsider.com/twitter-switches-from-tinyurl-to-bitly-2009-5 |title=Twitter Switches From TinyURL To Bit.ly |website=[[Business Insider]] |access-date=2010-09-05}}</ref> They began trying their own way of making URLs shorter for direct messages in March 2010. They used the domain, twt.tl,<ref name=twitterblog /> before they bought the t.co domain.


After a number of high-profile hacks of official accounts, including those of the [[Associated Press]] and ''[[The Guardian]]'',<ref>{{cite web |date=April 30, 2013 |title=Twitter Warns news Organisations Amid Syrian Hacking Attacks |url=http://descrier.co.uk/technology/2013/04/twitter-warns-news-organisations-amid-syrian-hacking-attacks/ |access-date=April 30, 2013 |publisher=Descrier}}</ref> in April 2013, Twitter announced a two-factor login verification as an added measure against hacking.<ref>{{cite news |last=Rodriguez |first=Salvador |date=May 23, 2013 |title=Twitter adds two-step verification option to help fend off hackers |work=Los Angeles Times |url=https://latimes.com/business/technology/la-fi-tn-twitter-two-step-verification-hackers-20130523,0,5416038.story |access-date=June 10, 2013}}</ref>
The company is using these accounts to test the service on the main site: @TwitterAPI, @rsarver, and @raffi.<ref name=twitterblog />


On May 5, 2018, Twitter sent out an update/mail to every customer regarding a bug that stored passwords unmasked in an internal log. According to them the investigation showed no indications of breach or misuse but recommended everyone to change their password anyway.<ref>{{Cite news |date=May 5, 2018 |title=Twitter Compromised! Change Your Password Right Now |work=Yeah Hub |url=https://www.yeahhub.com/twitter-compromised-change-password-right-now-may-2018/}}</ref>
On September 2, 2010, Twitter sent an email message to users to explain that they were starting to open the service to them.


On May 13, 2019, Twitter disclosed that they had discovered a bug that accidentally shared location data from [[iOS]] devices to an advertiser. They assured that the data was not retained and that the bug was fixed.<ref>{{Cite web |title=A bug impacting collection and sharing of location data on iOS devices |url=https://help.twitter.com/en/location-data-collection |access-date=May 19, 2019 |website=Twitter}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Lakshmanan |first=Ravie |date=May 14, 2019 |title=Twitter bug accidentally shared location data of some iOS users |url=https://thenextweb.com/security/2019/05/14/twitter-bug-accidentally-shared-location-data-of-some-ios-users/ |access-date=May 19, 2019 |website=The Next Web}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Perez |first=Sarah |date=May 13, 2019 |title=Twitter bug disclosed some users' location data to an unnamed partner |url=https://techcrunch.com/2019/05/13/twitter-bug-disclosed-some-users-location-data-to-an-unnamed-partner/ |access-date=May 19, 2019 |website=TechCrunch}}</ref>
==Other==
Twitter can also be used as an amateur and professional news source.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://techcrunch.com/2008/11/27/i-cant-believe-some-people-are-still-saying-twitter-isnt-a-news-source |title=I Can't Believe Some People Are Still Saying Twitter Isn't a News Source |access-date=2009-10-21 |publisher=TechCrunch }}</ref>


On December 20, 2019, Twitter fixed a security vulnerability in its Android app that could allow a hacker to take over a user's account and send tweets or direct messages as well as see private account info.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Spangler |first=Todd |date=December 20, 2019 |title=Twitter Fixes Bug in Android App That Could Let Hackers Hijack User Accounts |url=https://variety.com/2019/digital/news/twitter-android-security-vulnerability-hijack-accounts-1203449864/ |access-date=December 21, 2019 |website=Variety |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Twitter discloses Android app flaw that could allow account takeovers |url=https://www.itnews.com.au/news/twitter-discloses-android-app-flaw-that-could-allow-account-takeovers-535880 |access-date=December 21, 2019 |website=iTnews}}</ref>
==Related pages==
 
* [[Censorship by Twitter]]
===Outages===
[[File:Failwhale.png|thumb|right|The Twitter fail whale [[error message]]]]
During an outage, Twitter users were at one time shown the "fail whale" [[error message]] image created by Yiying Lu,<ref>{{Cite news|author=Walker, Rob|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/15/magazine/15wwln_consumed-t.html?_r=2|title=Consumed&nbsp;&nbsp;– Fail Whale|work=[[The New York Times Magazine]]|page=17|date=February 15, 2009|access-date=February 15, 2009|author-link=Rob Walker (journalist)}}{{Registration required|date=February 2011}}</ref> illustrating eight orange birds using a net to hoist a whale from the ocean captioned "Too many tweets! Please wait a moment and try again."<ref>{{Cite news|last=Whyte|first=Murray|access-date=February 23, 2011|url=https://www.thestar.com/News/Ideas/article/434826|title=Tweet, Tweet&nbsp;– There's Been an Earthquake |work=[[Toronto Star]]| date=June 1, 2008}}</ref> Web designer and Twitter user [[Jen Simmons]] was the first to coin the term "fail whale" in a September 2007 tweet.<ref>{{cite web|access-date=August 30, 2019|title=La vera storia della balena di Twitter|trans-title=The real story of the Twitter whale|url=https://www.lastampa.it/tecnologia/2015/01/24/news/la-vera-storia-della-balena-di-twitter-1.35307426|date=January 24, 2015|website=[[La Stampa]]|language=it|archive-date=March 8, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210308154549/https://www.lastampa.it/tecnologia/2015/01/24/news/la-vera-storia-della-balena-di-twitter-1.35307426|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite tweet |number=845050439 |user=jensimmons |title=Oh, fail whale, you are making my website fail. No more wordpress-twitter-crossposting. |author=Simmons, Jen |date=September 2, 2007}}</ref> In a November 2013 ''Wired'' interview Chris Fry, VP of Engineering at that time, noted that the company had taken the "fail whale" out of production as the platform was now more stable.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.wired.com/2013/11/qa-with-chris-fry/ |title=Killing the Fail Whale With Twitter's Christopher Fry |magazine=Wired |date= November 25, 2013|access-date=May 4, 2018}}</ref>
 
Twitter had approximately ninety-eight percent [[uptime]] in 2007 (or about six full days of downtime).<ref>{{cite web|access-date=February 23, 2011|url=http://royal.pingdom.com/2007/12/19/twitter-growing-pains-cause-lots-of-downtime-in-2007/|title=Twitter Growing Pains Cause Lots of Downtime in 2007|publisher=Royal Pingdom ([[blog]] of [[Pingdom]])|date=December 19, 2007|archive-date=December 29, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101229114042/http://royal.pingdom.com/2007/12/19/twitter-growing-pains-cause-lots-of-downtime-in-2007/|url-status=dead}}</ref> The downtime was particularly noticeable during events popular with the technology industry such as the 2008 [[Macworld Conference & Expo]] [[keynote|keynote address]].<ref>{{cite web|access-date=February 23, 2011|url=http://blog.twitter.com/2008/01/macworld.html|title=MacWorld|publisher=Twitter Blog ([[blog]] of Twitter)|date=January 15, 2008|author=Dorsey, Jack|author-link=Jack Dorsey}}</ref><ref name="downtime4">{{cite web|access-date=May 7, 2008|url=http://theappslab.com/2008/01/15/macworld-brings-twitter-to-its-knees/|title=MacWorld Brings Twitter to its Knees|publisher=Oracle AppsLab|date=January 15, 2008|author=Kuramoto, Jake}}</ref>
 
==User accounts==
===Verified accounts===
{{main|Twitter verification}}
[[File:Twitter verified account.png|thumb|right|The official Twitter profile of Twitter, Inc. The blue checkmark to the right of the profile name indicates that it is a verified account.]]
In June 2009, after being criticized by [[Kanye West]] and sued by [[Tony La Russa]] over unauthorized accounts run by [[impersonator]]s, the company launched their "Verified Accounts" program.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://blog.twitter.com/official/en_us/a/2009/not-playing-ball.html |title=Not Playing Ball |first=Biz|last=Stone|date=June 6, 2009 |website=Twitter}}</ref><ref name="verifiedhistory">{{cite news|last=Kanalley|first=Craig|title=Why Twitter Verifies Users: The History Behind the Blue Checkmark|url=https://huffingtonpost.com/craig-kanalley/twitter-verified-accounts_b_2863282.html|access-date=June 9, 2014|work=Huffington Post|date=March 12, 2013}}</ref> Twitter stated that an account with a "blue tick" verification badge indicates "we've been in contact with the person or entity the account is representing and verified that it is approved".<ref name="verifiedlaunch">{{cite web|last=Cashmore|first=Pete|title=Twitter Launches Verified Accounts|website=[[Mashable]]|url=http://mashable.com/2009/06/11/twitter-verified-accounts-2/|date=June 11, 2009|access-date=June 9, 2014}}</ref> In July 2016, Twitter announced a public application process to grant verified status to an account "if it is determined to be of public interest" and that verification "does not imply an endorsement".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://support.twitter.com/groups/31-twitter-basics/topics/111-features/articles/119135-about-verified-accounts |title=About verified accounts |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160720094013/https://support.twitter.com/groups/31-twitter-basics/topics/111-features/articles/119135-about-verified-accounts |archive-date=July 20, 2016 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://blog.twitter.com/official/en_us/a/2016/announcing-an-application-process-for-verified-accounts-0.html |title=Announcing an Application Process for Verified Accounts|date=July 19, 2016 |website=Twitter}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.wired.co.uk/article/how-to-get-verified-twitter-uk-account-blue-tick|title=Twitter opens verification to all|first=Matt|last=Burgess|magazine=Wired|date=July 20, 2016|access-date=September 16, 2016}}</ref> Verified status allows access to some features unavailable to other users, such as only seeing mentions from other verified accounts.<ref>{{cite web|last=Wagner|first=Kurt|title=Twitter Unveils Exclusive Feature For Verified Users|website=[[Mashable]]|url=http://mashable.com/2013/09/12/twitter-exclusive-feature//|date=September 12, 2013|access-date=June 9, 2014}}</ref>
 
In November 2020, Twitter announced a relaunch of its verification system in 2021. According to the new policy, Twitter verifies six different types of accounts; for three of them (companies, brands, and influential individuals like activists), the existence of a [[Wikipedia]] page will be one criterion for showing that the account has "Off Twitter Notability".<ref>{{cite web|last=Harrison|first=Stephen|date=December 4, 2020|title=Twitter Wants to Use Wikipedia to Help Determine Who Gets a Blue Checkmark|url=https://slate.com/technology/2020/12/twitter-checkmark-verification-wikipedia-notability.html|access-date=December 4, 2020|website=Slate Magazine}}</ref> Twitter states that it will re-open public verification applications at some point in "early 2021".<ref>{{cite news|last=Statt|first=Nick|website=The Verge|url= https://www.theverge.com/2020/12/17/22187477/twitter-verification-badge-blue-checkmark-relaunch-process-new-rules|title=Twitter is launching its new verification policy on January 20th|date=December 17, 2020|access-date=February 19, 2021}}</ref>
 
===Privacy===
Twitter messages are public, but users can also send private "direct messages".<ref name=Rushe /> Information about who has chosen to follow an account and who a user has chosen to follow is also public, though accounts can be changed to "protected" which limits this information (and all tweets) to approved followers.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://classroom.synonym.com/hide-followers-following-twitter-13288.html |title=How to Hide Your Followers & Who You Are Following on Twitter &#124; The Classroom &#124; Synonym |publisher=Classroom.synonym.com |date=November 9, 2015 |access-date=December 7, 2015}}</ref> Twitter collects [[personally identifiable information]] about its users and shares it with third parties as specified in its [[privacy policy]]. The service also reserves the right to sell this information as an asset if the company changes hands.<ref>{{cite web |title=Twitter Privacy Policy |url=https://www.twitter.com/privacy/ |date=May 14, 2007 |publisher=Twitter |access-date=March 11, 2009 |archive-date=June 25, 2009 |archive-url=http://arquivo.pt/wayback/20090625120644/https%3A//twitter.com/privacy |url-status=dead }}</ref> While Twitter displays no advertising, advertisers can [[behavioral targeting|target users]] based on their history of tweets and may quote tweets in ads<ref>{{Cite news|last=Hansell |first=Saul |title=Advertisers Are Watching Your Every Tweet |url=http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/16/advertisers-are-watching-your-every-tweet/ |date=July 16, 2009 |work=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=July 17, 2009}}</ref> directed specifically to the user.
 
Twitter launched the [[Beta version#Beta|beta version]] of their "Verified Accounts" service on June 11, 2009, allowing people with public profiles to announce their account name. The home pages of these accounts display a badge indicating their status.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.cnet.com/8301-13577_3-10263759-36.html |title=Twitter Power Players Get Shiny 'Verified' Badges |first=Caroline |last=McCarthy |work=[[CNET]] |publisher=[[CBS Interactive]] |date=June 12, 2009 |access-date=February 23, 2011 |archive-date=May 3, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120503090313/http://news.cnet.com/8301-13577_3-10263759-36.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>
 
On December 14, 2010, the [[United States Department of Justice]] issued a [[Twitter subpoena|subpoena directing Twitter]] to provide information for accounts registered to or associated with [[WikiLeaks]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.salon.com/news/opinion/glenn_greenwald/2011/01/07/twitter/subpoena.pdf |title=Twitter Subpoena |work=[[Salon.com]]|date=January 17, 2009 |access-date=January 10, 2011}}</ref> Twitter decided to notify its users and said in a statement, "... it's our policy to notify users about law enforcement and governmental requests for their information, unless we are prevented by law from doing so."<ref name="Rushe">{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2011/jan/08/us-twitter-hand-icelandic-wikileaks-messages |title=Icelandic MP Fights US Demand for Her Twitter Account Details |work=[[The Guardian]] |author=Rushe, Dominic |date=January 8, 2011 |access-date=January 10, 2011 |location=London}}</ref>
 
In May 2011, a [[claimant]] known as "CTB" in the case of ''[[CTB v News Group Newspapers|CTB v Twitter Inc.]]'' took action against Twitter at the [[High Court of Justice|High Court of Justice of England and Wales]],<ref>[https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-05-20/twitter-inc-unknown-posters-sued-by-athlete-known-as-ctb-at-u-k-court.html "Twitter Inc., Unknown Posters Sued by Athlete Known as 'CTB' at U.K. Court"] bloomberg.com May 20, 2011</ref> requesting that the company release details of account holders. This followed gossip posted on Twitter about professional footballer [[Ryan Giggs]]'s private life. This led to the [[2011 British privacy injunctions controversy]] and the "super-injunction".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.politics.co.uk/news/culture-media-and-sport/twitter-users-served-with-privacy-injunction-$21388933.htm |title=Twitter users served with privacy injunction |publisher=Politics.co.uk |access-date=May 22, 2011 |archive-date=May 23, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110523133024/http://www.politics.co.uk/news/culture-media-and-sport/twitter-users-served-with-privacy-injunction-$21388933.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref> Tony Wang, the head of Twitter in Europe, said that people who do "bad things" on the site would need to defend themselves under the laws of their own jurisdiction in the event of controversy and that the site would hand over information about users to the authorities when it was legally required to do so.<ref name="wang">{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-13546847|work=[[BBC News]] |location=UK |title=Twitter's European boss Tony Wang gives legal warning|date=May 25, 2011 |access-date=May 25, 2011}}</ref> He also suggested that Twitter would accede to a UK court order to divulge names of users responsible for "illegal activity" on the site.<ref name="independent">{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/twitter-chief-hints-he-may-have-to-divulge-users-names-2289187.html|work=[[The Independent]] |location=UK |title=Twitter chief hints he may have to divulge users' names|date=May 26, 2011 |access-date=December 13, 2011 |first=Lewis |last=Smith}}</ref>
 
Twitter acquired [[Dasient]], a startup that offers malware protection for businesses, in January 2012. Twitter announced plans to use Dasient to help remove hateful advertisers on the website.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/24/twitter-dasient-security-startup_n_1227842.html|title=Twitter Buys Dasient Security Startup To Combat Spam|work=The Huffington Post | date=January 24, 2012}}</ref> Twitter also offered a feature which would allow tweets to be removed selectively by country, before deleted tweets used to be removed in all countries.<ref name="BBC_censor">{{cite news |date=January 27, 2012|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-16753729|title=Twitter to selectively 'censor' tweets by country|work=BBC News}}</ref><ref>[http://blog.twitter.com/2012/01/tweets-still-must-flow.html "Twitter Blog – Tweets still must flow"] January 26, 2012. Retrieved January 27, 2012.</ref> The first use of the policy was to block the account of German [[neo-Nazi]] group [[Besseres Hannover]] on October 18, 2012.<ref>{{cite news |first=Nicholas |last=Kulish |title=Twitter Blocks Germans' Access to Neo-Nazi Group |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/19/world/europe/twitter-blocks-access-to-neo-nazi-group-in-germany.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121018151821/http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/19/world/europe/twitter-blocks-access-to-neo-nazi-group-in-germany.html |archive-date=October 18, 2012 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |website=[[The New York Times]] |date=October 18, 2012 |access-date=May 5, 2017}}</ref> The policy was used again the following day to remove [[anti-Semitic]] French tweets with the hashtag #unbonjuif ("a good Jew").<ref>{{cite news |title=Twitter removes French anti-Semitic tweets |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-20004671 |website=[[BBC News]] |publisher=BBC |date=October 19, 2012 |access-date=May 5, 2017}}</ref> In February 2012, a [[Third-party software component|third-party]] [[public-key encryption]] [[Application software|app]] (written in [[Python (programming language)|Python]] and partially funded by a grant from the [[Shuttleworth Foundation]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cso.com.au/article/415975/cryptweet_encrypts_twitter_direct_messages/ |title=CrypTweet encrypts Twitter direct messages – CSO &#124; The Resource for Data Security Executives |publisher=CSO |date=February 21, 2012 |access-date=July 23, 2012 |archive-date=April 25, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120425194510/http://www.cso.com.au/article/415975/cryptweet_encrypts_twitter_direct_messages/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>) for private messaging in Twitter, CrypTweet, was released.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://plexusproject.org/ |title=CrypTweet: Experimental Twitter Encryption |publisher=Plexusproject.org |access-date=July 23, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120720051726/http://plexusproject.org/ |archive-date=July 20, 2012 }}</ref> A month later Twitter announced it would implement the "[[Do Not Track]]" privacy option, a [[HTTP cookie|cookie]]-blocking feature found in [[Mozilla Foundation|Mozilla]]'s [[Firefox]] browser. The "Do Not Track" feature works only on sites that have agreed to the service.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/05/17/twitter-implements-do-not-track-privacy-option/ |first=Nick|last=Bilton|title=Twitter Implements Do Not Track Privacy Option|newspaper=The New York Times|date=May 17, 2012|access-date=May 26, 2012}}</ref>
 
Followed the sharing of images showing the killing of American journalist [[James Foley (journalist)|James Foley]] in 2014, Twitter said that in certain cases it would delete pictures of people who had died after requests from family members and "authorized individuals".<ref>{{cite web |date=August 20, 2014 |title=Twitter Is Trying to Block Images of James Foley's Death |url=https://www.yahoo.com/tech/twitter-trying-to-block-images-of-james-foleys-death-95278352899.html |access-date=September 6, 2014 |publisher=Yahoo! Tech}}</ref><ref>{{cite tweet|number=501860042338213889|user=wexler|title=Twitter policy on media concerning a deceased user:<!-- full text of tweet that Twitter returned to the bot (excluding links) added by TweetCiteBot. This may be better truncated or may need expanding (TW limits responses to 140 characters) or case changes. -->|date=August 19, 2014}}</ref>
 
In 2015, following updated terms of service and privacy policy, Twitter users outside the United States were legally served by the Ireland-based Twitter International Company instead of Twitter, Inc. The change made these users subject to Irish and [[Data Protection Directive|European Union data protection laws]]<ref name="irishtimes-twitterint">{{cite news |title=Ireland to become privacy regulator for 300m Twitter users |work=Irish Times |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/business/technology/ireland-to-become-privacy-regulator-for-300m-twitter-users-1.2180137 |access-date=May 12, 2015}}</ref>
 
On April 8, 2020, Twitter announced that users outside of the European Economic Area or United Kingdom (thus subject to GDPR) will no longer be allowed to opt out of sharing "mobile app advertising measurements" to Twitter third-party partners.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kastrenakes |first=Jacob |date=April 8, 2020 |title=Twitter notifies users that it's now sharing more data with advertisers |url=https://www.theverge.com/2020/4/8/21213593/twitter-data-sharing-pop-up-mobile-app-advertising-settings |access-date=April 9, 2020 |website=The Verge |language=en}}</ref>
 
On October 9, 2020, Twitter took additional steps to counter misleading campaigns ahead of the 2020 US Election. Twitter's new temporary update encouraged users to "add their own commentary" before retweeting a tweet, by making 'quoting tweet' a mandatory feature instead of optional. The social network giant aimed at generating context and encouraging the circulation of more thoughtful content.<ref>{{cite web |date=October 9, 2020 |title=Twitter is fighting election chaos by urging users to quote tweet instead of retweet |url=https://www.theverge.com/2020/10/9/21509439/twitter-election-trump-quote-tweet-labels-rules-election |access-date=October 9, 2020 |website=The Verge}}</ref> After limited results, the company ended this experiment in December 2020.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Bell |first1=K. |date=December 17, 2020 |title=Retweets are back to normal as Twitter ends its quote tweet experiment |work=Engadget |url=https://www.engadget.com/twitter-ends-quote-tweet-experiment-retweets-003202686.html |access-date=March 20, 2022}}</ref>
 
On May 25, 2022, Twitter was fined $150 Million (around 13% of Twitter's Revenue in the first quatar of 2022) by the [[Federal Trade Commission]] alongside the [[United States Department of Justice]] for "collecting users' phone numbers and email addresses for security [2 Factor Autentication]' then using it to do targeted advertising. Twitter was also required to notify it's users and is banned from profiting off of 'deceptively collected data'.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Milmo |first=Dan |date={{!}}date=May 26, 2022 |title=Twitter fined $150m for handing users' contact details to advertisers |work=[[The Guardian]] |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2022/may/25/twitter-user-data-advertising-settlement |access-date={{!}}access-date=May 27, 2022}}</ref>
 
=== Harassment ===
In August 2013, Twitter announced plans to introduce a "report abuse" button for all versions of the site following uproar, including a petition with 100,000 signatures, over Tweets that included rape and death threats to historian [[Mary Beard (classicist)|Mary Beard]], feminist campaigner [[Caroline Criado-Perez]] and the member of parliament [[Stella Creasy]].<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-23559605 "Twitter's Tony Wang issues apology to abuse victims"], BBC News, August 3, 2013. Retrieved August 3, 2013.</ref><ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/02/world/europe/of-pride-prejudice-and-harassment-on-twitter.html?_r=0 "Of Pride, Prejudice and Harassment on Twitter"] ''The New York Times'', August 3, 2013. Retrieved August 3, 2013.</ref><ref>[https://cnet.com/news/twitter-updates-its-rules-for-users-after-uproar-over-rape-bomb-threats/ "Twitter updates its rules for users, after uproar over rape, bomb threats"], CNET, August 3, 2013. Retrieved August 3, 2013.</ref> Twitter announced new reporting and blocking policies in December 2014,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://arstechnica.com/business/2014/12/twitter-announces-sweeping-update-to-reporting-blocking-tools/|title=Twitter announces sweeping update to reporting, blocking tools|work=Ars Technica|date=December 2, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://blog.twitter.com/en_us/a/2014/building-a-safer-twitter.html|title=Building a safer Twitter|website=blog.twitter.com|access-date=July 30, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/videos/twitter-unveils-new-tools-to-fight-harassment/|title=Twitter unveils new tools to fight harassment| work=CBS News}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.technewsworld.com/story/81442.html?rss=1|title=Twitter Gives Harassed Users a Little Ammo|website=www.technewsworld.com|access-date=July 30, 2019}}</ref> including a blocking mechanism devised by [[Randi Harper]], a target of [[GamerGate]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.techinsider.net/twitter-inc-twtr-could-use-gamergate-autoblocker-model-to-block-millions-of-fake-accounts/1120221.html|title=Twitter Inc (TWTR) Could Use Gamergate Autoblocker Model To Block Millions of Fake Accounts?|first=Fahad|last=Saleem|work=TechInsider}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/technology/digital-culture/blocked-on-twitter-softwares-limits-in-the-fight-against-online-hate/article21920082/ |title=Blocked on Twitter: Software's limits in the fight against online hate |work=The Globe and Mail |location=Toronto |date=December 4, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first=Taylor |last=Wofford |title=One Woman's New Tool to Stop Gamergate Harassment on Twitter |date=November 29, 2014 |access-date=December 6, 2014 |website=Newsweek |url=http://www.newsweek.com/one-womans-new-tool-stop-gamergate-harassment-twitter-288008}}</ref> In February 2015, CEO [[Dick Costolo]] said he was 'frankly ashamed' at how poorly Twitter handled [[Internet troll|trolling]] and abuse, and admitted Twitter had lost users as a result.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Tiku|first1=Nitasha|title=Twitter CEO: 'We suck at dealing with abuse'|url=https://www.theverge.com/2015/2/4/7982099/twitter-ceo-sent-memo-taking-personal-responsibility-for-the|website=The Verge|access-date=February 5, 2015|date=February 5, 2015}}</ref>
 
In 2016, Twitter announced the creation of the Twitter Trust & Safety Council to help "ensure that people feel safe expressing themselves on Twitter." The council's inaugural members included 50 organizations and individuals.<ref>Twitter's corporate blog, [https://blog.twitter.com/2016/announcing-the-twitter-trust-safety-council "Announcing the Twitter Trust & Safety Council"]</ref> The announcement of Twitter's "Trust & Safety Council" was met with objection from parts of its userbase.<ref>{{cite book |last=Siegfried |first=Evan |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4yXIDAAAQBAJ |title=GOP GPS |date=August 23, 2016 |publisher=Skyhorse |isbn=9781510717336 |access-date=November 12, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Albright |first=Dann |date=February 29, 2016 |title=Is Twitter's Trust & Safety Council a Front for Censorship? |url=http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/twitters-trust-safety-council-front-censorship/ |access-date=November 12, 2017 |publisher=Makeuseof}}</ref> Critics accused the member organizations of being heavily skewed towards "the restriction of hate speech" and a ''[[Reason (magazine)|Reason]]'' article expressed concern that "there's not a single uncompromising anti-censorship figure or group on the list".<ref>{{cite web |last=Puddephatt |first=Andrew |date=February 11, 2016 |title=Just Another 'Black Box'? First Thoughts on Twitter's Trust And Safety Council |url=http://www.circleid.com/posts/20160211_another_black_box_first_thoughts_on_twitters_trust_safety_council/ |access-date=November 12, 2017 |publisher=CircleID}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Soave |first=Robby |date=February 20, 2016 |title=Did Twitter's Orwellian 'Trust and Safety' Council Get Robert Stacy McCain Banned? |url=https://reason.com/blog/2016/02/20/did-twitters-orwellian-trust-and-safety |access-date=November 12, 2017 |publisher=Reason.com}}</ref>
 
Twitter banned 7,000 accounts and limited 150,000 more that had ties to [[QAnon]] on July 21, 2020. The bans and limits came after QAnon-related accounts began harassing other users through practices of swarming or brigading, coordinated attacks on these individuals through multiple accounts in the weeks prior. Those accounts limited by Twitter will not appear in searches nor be promoted in other Twitter functions. Twitter said they will continue to ban or limit accounts as necessary, with their support account stating "We will permanently suspend accounts Tweeting about these topics that we know are engaged in violations of our multi-account policy, coordinating abuse around individual victims, or are attempting to evade a previous suspension".<ref>{{cite web |last1=Collins |first1=Ben |last2=Zadrozny |first2=Brandy |date=July 21, 2020 |title=Twitter bans 7,000 QAnon accounts, limits 150,000 others as part of broad crackdown |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/twitter-bans-7-000-qanon-accounts-limits-150-000-others-n1234541 |access-date=July 21, 2020 |work=[[NBC News]]}}</ref>
 
In September 2021, Twitter began beta testing a feature called Safety Mode.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Peters |first=Jay |date=September 1, 2021 |title=Twitter's new Safety Mode autoblocks abusive accounts |url=https://www.theverge.com/2021/9/1/22652572/twitter-safety-mode-autoblocks-abusive-accounts-beta |access-date=September 23, 2021 |website=The Verge |language=en}}</ref> The functionality aims to limit unwelcome interactions through automated detection of negative engagements. If a user has Safety Mode enabled, authors of tweets that are identified by Twitter's technology as being harmful or exercising uninvited behavior will be temporarily unable to follow the account, send direct messages, or see tweets from the user with the enabled functionality during the temporary block period.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Vasile |first=Cosmin |title=Twitter launches Super Follows and Safety Mode |url=https://www.phonearena.com/news/twitter-super-follows-safety-mode-android-iOS_id134759 |access-date=2022-05-18 |website=Phone Arena |language=en-US}}</ref> Jarrod Doherty, senior product manager at Twitter, stated that the technology in place within Safety Mode assesses existing relationships to prevent blocking accounts that the user frequently interacts with.<ref name=":2" />
 
=== Suspect and contested accounts ===
{{See also|Deplatforming|Twitter suspensions}}
In January 2016, Twitter was sued by the widow of a U.S. man killed in the [[2015 Amman shooting attack]], claiming that allowing the [[Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant]] (ISIL) to continually use the platform, including direct messages in particular,<ref name="verge-revisedisillawsuit">{{cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/2016/8/30/12717178/twitter-isis-lawsuit-direct-message-revised-complaint|title=Revived lawsuit says Twitter DMs are like handing ISIS a satellite phone|website=The Verge|access-date=August 31, 2016|date=August 30, 2016}}</ref> constituted the [[Providing material support for terrorism|provision of material support to a terrorist organization]], which is illegal under U.S. federal law. Twitter disputed the claim, stating that "violent threats and the promotion of terrorism deserve no place on Twitter and, like other social networks, our rules make that clear."<ref name="wsj-isistwitter">{{cite news|url=https://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2016/01/14/lawsuit-blames-twitter-for-isis-terrorist-attack/|title=Lawsuit Blames Twitter for ISIS Terrorist Attack|work=[[The Wall Street Journal]]|access-date=January 16, 2016}}</ref><ref name="wsj-twitterliable">{{cite news|url=https://blogs.wsj.com/law/2016/01/15/can-twitter-be-liable-for-isis-tweets/|title=Can Twitter Be Liable for ISIS Tweets?|work=[[The Wall Street Journal]]|access-date=January 20, 2016}}</ref> The lawsuit was dismissed by the [[United States District Court for the Northern District of California]], upholding the [[Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act|Section 230]] safe harbor, which dictates that the operators of an interactive computer service are not liable for the content published by its users.<ref name="wsj-twitterliable" /><ref name="verge-section230isis">{{cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/2016/8/10/11950098/twitter-isis-lawsuit-safe-harbor-terrorism|title=Twitter is not legally responsible for the rise of ISIS, rules California district court|website=The Verge|publisher=Vox Media|access-date=August 11, 2016|date=August 10, 2016}}</ref> The lawsuit was revised in August 2016, providing comparisons to other telecommunications devices.<ref name="verge-revisedisillawsuit" />
 
Twitter suspended multiple parody accounts that satirized Russian politics in May 2016, sparking protests and raising questions about where the company stands on [[freedom of speech]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/twitter-suspends-russian-satirical-accounts-raising-free-speech-questions/571146.html|title=Twitter Suspends Russian Satirical Accounts, Raising Free Speech Questions {{!}} News|website=The Moscow Times|access-date=June 2, 2016}}</ref> Following public outcry, Twitter restored the accounts the next day without explaining why the accounts had been suspended.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jun/02/twitter-unblocks-darthputinkgba-spoof-russia|title=Twitter unblocks spoof Putin account after widespread criticism|last1=Times|first1=The Moscow|last2=network|first2=part of the New East|date=June 2, 2016|newspaper=The Guardian|access-date=June 2, 2016}}</ref> The same day, Twitter, along with [[Facebook]], [[Google]], and [[Microsoft]], jointly agreed to a [[European Union]] code of conduct obligating them to review "[the] majority of valid notifications for removal of illegal [[hate speech]]" posted on their services within 24 hours.<ref name="guardian-euhatespeech">{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/may/31/facebook-youtube-twitter-microsoft-eu-hate-speech-code|title=Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and Microsoft sign EU hate speech code|newspaper=The Guardian|access-date=June 7, 2016|date=May 31, 2016|last1=Hern|first1=Alex}}</ref> In August 2016, Twitter stated that it had banned 235,000 accounts over the past six months, bringing the overall number of suspended accounts to 360,000 accounts in the past year, for violating policies banning use of the platform to promote extremism.<ref>{{cite news|first=Elizabeth|last=Weise|title=Twitter suspends 235,000 accounts for extremism|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/news/2016/08/18/twitter-suspends-235000-terrorism-extremism/88955432|newspaper=[[USA Today]]|date=August 18, 2016 |access-date=November 20, 2016}}</ref>
 
On May 10, 2019, Twitter announced that they suspended 166,513 accounts for promoting terrorism in the July–December 2018 period, stating there was a steady decrease in terrorist groups trying to use the platform owing to its "zero-tolerance policy enforcement". According to [[Vijaya Gadde]], Legal, Policy and Trust and Safety Lead at Twitter, there was a reduction of 19% terror related tweets from the previous reporting period (January–June 2018).<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://economictimes.com/magazines/panache/twitter-suspended-over-1-6-lakh-accounts-for-promoting-terrorism/articleshow/69268206.cms|title=Twitter suspended over 1.6 lakh terror-promoting accounts in six months|date=May 10, 2019|work=Economic Times|access-date=February 22, 2021|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190531194121/https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/magazines/panache/twitter-suspended-over-1-6-lakh-accounts-for-promoting-terrorism/articleshow/69268206.cms|archive-date=May 31, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.engadget.com/2019/05/09/twitter-transparency-report-terrorism-child-exploitation/|title=Twitter suspensions for promoting terrorism drop yet again|last=Holt|first=Kris|date=May 10, 2019|work=Engadget|access-date=May 10, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://fortune.com/2019/05/10/twitter-transparency-report-abuse/|title=Twitter's User-Reported Violations Jumped 19%—but the Number of Accounts Punished Dropped|last=Abril|first=Danielle|date=May 10, 2019|work=Fortune}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.sbs.com.au/news/twitter-reports-fall-in-extreme-content|title=Twitter reports fall in extreme content|date=May 10, 2019|work=SBS News|access-date=May 10, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.firstpost.com/tech/news-analysis/twitter-has-suspended-more-than-166000-accounts-related-to-promotion-of-terrorism-6611591.html|title=TWITTER HAS SUSPENDED MORE THAN 166,000 ACCOUNTS RELATED TO PROMOTION OF TERRORISM|date=May 10, 2019|work=Tech2|access-date=May 10, 2019|publisher=Firstpost}}</ref>
 
As of July 30, 2020, Twitter will block URLs in tweets that point to external websites that contain malicious content (such as malware and phishing content) as well or hate speech, speech encouraging violence, terrorism, child sexual exploitation, breaches of privacy, and other similar content that is already banned as part of the content of tweets on the site. Users that frequently point to such sites may have their accounts suspended. Twitter said this was to bring their policy in line to prevent users from bypassing their tweet content restrictions by simply linking to the banned content.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.engadget.com/twitter-bans-links-hateful-conduct-violence-010623900.html | title = Twitter will block links promoting hate speech and violence | first= Karissa | last = Bell | date = July 28, 2020 | access-date = July 28, 2020 |work = [[Engadget]] }}</ref>
 
Following the onset of protests by [[Donald Trump]]'s supporters across the [[US]] in January 2021, Twitter suspended more than 70,000 accounts, stating that they shared "harmful [[QAnon]]-associated content" at a large scale, and were "dedicated to the propagation of this conspiracy theory across the service". The rioters that broke into US [[Capitol Hill]] included a large amount of QAnon followers.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/2021/1/12/22226503/twitter-qanon-account-suspension-70000-capitol-riots|title=Twitter bans 70,000 QAnon accounts as conservatives report lost followers|access-date=January 12, 2020|website=The Verge}}</ref>
 
===Malicious and fake accounts===
Between January and late July 2017, Twitter had identified and shut down over 7,000 fake accounts created by [[Iran]]ian influence operations.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2019/07/25/its-not-just-russians-anymore-iranians-others-turn-up-disinformation-efforts-ahead-vote/ |title=It's not just the Russians anymore as Iranians and others turn up disinformation efforts ahead of 2020 vote |date=July 25, 2019 |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |last1=Timberg |first1=Craig |last2=Romm |first2=Tony}}</ref>
 
In May 2018, in response to scrutiny over the misuse of Twitter by those seeking to maliciously influence elections, Twitter announced that it would partner with the nonprofit organization [[Ballotpedia]] to add special labels verifying the authenticity of political candidates running for election in the U.S.<ref>{{cite news|title=Twitter to add labels to U.S. political candidates|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/twitter-to-add-labels-to-u-s-political-candidates/ |access-date=May 23, 2018|publisher=CBS|date=May 23, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Scola|first1=Nancy |title=Twitter to verify election candidates in the midterms|url=https://www.politico.com/story/2018/05/23/twitter-verify-candidates-midterms-2018-1282802 |access-date=May 23, 2018|work=Politico|date=May 23, 2018}}</ref>
 
In December 2019, Twitter removed 5,929 accounts for violating their [[Internet manipulation|manipulation]] policies. The company investigated and attributed these accounts to a single state-run information operation, which originated in [[Saudi Arabia]]. The accounts were reported to be a part of a larger group of 88,000 accounts engaged in [[Spamming|spammy behavior]]. However, Twitter did not disclose all of them as some could possibly be legitimate accounts taken over through [[Security hacker|hacking]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/national/18116303.twitter-facebook-remove-accounts-interference-crackdown/ |title=Twitter and Facebook remove accounts in interference crackdown|access-date=December 20, 2019|website=York Press}}</ref>
 
In March 2021, Twitter suspended around 3,500 fake accounts that were running a campaign to influence the American audience, after the US intelligence officials concluded that the assassination of ''[[The Washington Post]]'' journalist, [[Jamal Khashoggi]] was "approved" by the Saudi Crown Prince [[Mohammed bin Salman]]. These Saudi accounts were working in two languages, English and Arabic, to influence public opinion around the issue. Many accounts commented directly on the tweets of US-based media houses, including ''The Post'', ''[[CNN]]'', ''[[CBS News]]'' and ''[[The Los Angeles Times]]''. Twitter was unable to identify the source of the influence campaign.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2021/03/02/saudi-khashoggi-twitter-mbs/ |title=When U.S. blamed Saudi crown prince for role in Khashoggi killing, fake Twitter accounts went to war|access-date=March 7, 2021|newspaper=The Washington Post}}</ref>
 
{{asof|2022}}, the top three countries spreading state-linked Twitter misinformation are Russia, Iran and Saudi Arabia<!-- + China and Venezuela -->.<ref name="aspi2022">{{cite web |title=Understanding Global Disinformation and Information Operations: Insights from ASPI's new analytic website |url=https://www.aspi.org.au/report/understanding_global_disinformation_information_operations |publisher=[[Australian Strategic Policy Institute]] |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20220429013917/https://www.aspi.org.au/report/understanding_global_disinformation_information_operations |archive-date=April 29, 2022 |date=March 30, 2022 |url-status=live}}</ref>
 
===Twitter bots===
{{main|Twitter bot}}
A Twitter bot is a computer program that automatically posts on Twitter. They are programmed to tweet, retweet, and follow other accounts. Twitter's open [[application programming interface]] and the availability of cloud servers make it possible for Twitter bots to exist within the social networking site.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Dubbin |first=Rob |title=The Rise Of Twitter Bots |url= https://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/elements/2013/11/the-rise-of-twitter-bots.html |magazine=The New Yorker |access-date=May 15, 2014}}</ref> Benign Twitter bots may generate creative content and relevant product updates whereas malicious bots can make unpopular people seem popular, push irrelevant products on users and spread misinformation, spam or slander.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Miners|first=Zach|title=Bot or Not? Researchers make an app to sniff out bots on Twitter|url=http://www.pcworld.com/article/2151900/is-that-twitter-account-a-bot-researchers-make-app-to-find-out.html |magazine=PC World|access-date=May 15, 2014|date=May 6, 2014}}</ref> Bots amass significant influence and have been noted to sway elections, influence the stock market, public appeal, and attack governments.<ref>{{cite news|last=Urbina|first=Ian|title=I Flirt and Tweet. Follow Me at No. Socialbot |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/11/sunday-review/i-flirt-and-tweet-follow-me-at-socialbot.html |work=The New York Times|access-date=May 15, 2014|date=August 10, 2013}}</ref> According to the company, there were 20&nbsp;million, fewer than 5%, of accounts on Twitter that were fraudulent in 2013.<ref>{{cite web |last=D'onfro |first=Jillian |date=October 4, 2013 |title=Twitter Admits 5% Of Its 'Users' Are Fake |url=http://www.businessinsider.in/Twitter-Admits-5-Of-Its-Users-Are-Fake/articleshow/23479699.cms |access-date=May 15, 2014 |website=Business Insider}}</ref>
 
==Society==
{{Main|Twitter usage}}
{{Summarize section|date=May 2022}}
 
=== Usage ===
[[File:Twitter Town Hall-Dorsey Obama.png|thumb|alt=Man in his twenties smiling at left, man in his forties using computer at center, large crystal chandelier, several people in audience|Dorsey (left) said after a [[Barack Obama on social media|Twitter Town Hall with Barack Obama]] held in July 2011, that Twitter received over 110,000 #Ask[[Barack Obama|Obama]] tweets.<ref>{{Cite AV media|people=Jack Dorsey|title=Impressions on the White House Twitter Townhall|url=https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/photos-and-video/video/2011/07/08/impressions-white-house-twitter-townhall|date=July 8, 2011|via=[[NARA|National Archives]]|work=[[whitehouse.gov]]|access-date=July 10, 2011}}</ref>]]
 
==== Protesters ====
Twitter has been used for a variety of purposes in many industries and scenarios. For example, it has been used to organize protests, sometimes referred to as "Twitter Revolutions",<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Could Tunisia Be The Next Twitter Revolution? |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/daily-dish/archive/2011/01/could-tunisia-be-the-next-twitter-revolution/177302/ |magazine=[[The Atlantic]] |date=January 13, 2011 |access-date=November 20, 2016}}</ref> which include the [[April 2009 Moldovan parliamentary election protests|protests over the 2009 Moldovan election]], the [[2009 student protests in Austria]], the 2009 [[Gaza–Israel conflict]], the 2009 [[Iranian Green Movement|Iranian green revolution]], the 2010 [[2010 G20 Toronto summit protests|Toronto G20 protests]], the 2010 [[Bolivarian Revolution]], the 2010 [[Stuttgart 21|Stuttgart21 protests in Germany]], the 2011 [[Egyptian revolution of 2011|Egyptian Revolution]], [[2011 England riots]], the 2011 United States [[Occupy movement]], the 2011 [[anti-austerity movement in Spain]], the 2011 [[Anti-austerity movement in Greece|Aganaktismenoi movements in Greece]], the 2011 [[2011 Rome demonstration|demonstration in Rome]], the 2011 [[2011 Wisconsin protests|Wisconsin labor protests]], the 2012 [[Gaza–Israel conflict]], the [[2013 protests in Brazil]], and the 2013 [[Gezi Park protests|Gezi Park protests in Turkey]].<ref name="Buettner2016a">{{cite conference |title=A Systematic Literature Review of Twitter Research from a Socio-Political Revolution Perspective |author1=Buettner, Ricardo  |author2=Buettner, Katharina  |name-list-style=amp |year=2016 |conference=49th Annual Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences |conference-url=http://www.hicss.org |publisher=IEEE |location=Kauai, Hawaii |doi=10.13140/RG.2.1.4239.9442}}</ref> A result of the Iranian election protests saw the government of Iran block Twitter in censorship.<ref>{{cite web |first=Rebecca |last=Santana |title=Iran Election, Uprising Tracked On Twitter As Government Censors Media |url=https://huffingtonpost.com/2009/06/15/iran-election-uprising-tr_n_215914.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090618073505/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/06/15/iran-election-uprising-tr_n_215914.html |website=[[HuffPost]] |publisher=[[AOL]] |date=June 15, 2009 |archive-date=June 18, 2009 |access-date=May 5, 2017}}</ref>
 
The service is also used as a form of [[civil disobedience]]: In 2010, users expressed outrage over the [[Twitter joke trial]] by copying a controversial joke about bombing an airport and attaching the hashtag #IAmSpartacus, a reference to the film ''[[Spartacus (film)|Spartacus]]'' (1960) and a sign of solidarity and support to a man controversially prosecuted after posting a tweet joking about bombing [[Doncaster Sheffield Airport|an airport]] if they canceled his flight. #IAmSpartacus became the number one trending topic on Twitter worldwide.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2010/nov/12/iamspartacus-campaign-twitter-airport|title=#IAmSpartacus campaign explodes on Twitter in support of airport joker|last=Siddique|first=Haroon|date=November 12, 2010|newspaper=[[The Guardian]]|access-date=November 20, 2016}}</ref> Another case of civil disobedience happened in the [[2011 British privacy injunctions controversy|2011 British privacy injunction debate]], where several celebrities who had taken out anonymized injunctions were identified by thousands of users in protest to traditional journalism being censored.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2011/may/22/scottish-newspaper-identifies-injuction-footballer|title=Scottish newspaper identifies injunction footballer|last1=Gabbatt|first1=Adam|last2=Taylor|first2=Matthew|date=May 22, 2011|newspaper=[[The Guardian]]|access-date=May 22, 2011}}</ref>
 
During the [[Arab Spring]] in early 2011, the number of hashtags mentioning the uprisings in [[Tunisia]] and [[Egypt]] increased.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/americas/september-11/twitters-influence-on-the-arab-spring/article2135272/|title=Twitter's influence on the Arab Spring|date=August 19, 2011|newspaper=[[The Globe and Mail]]|access-date=November 20, 2016|archive-date=July 7, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170707174447/https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/americas/september-11/twitters-influence-on-the-arab-spring/article2135272/|url-status=dead}}</ref> A study by the [[Mohammed bin Rashid School of Government|Dubai School of Government]] found that only 0.26% of the Egyptian population, 0.1% of the Tunisian population and 0.04% of the Syrian population are active on Twitter.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mashable.com/2012/06/08/arab-world-facebook-twitter/#JKkkUqJb5kqk|title=How the Arab World Uses Facebook and Twitter|last=Fox|first=Zoe|date=June 8, 2012|publisher=[[Mashable]]|access-date=November 20, 2016}}</ref>
 
Posts on the service often contain far-right content, such as hate speech and conspiracy theories such as [[QAnon]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Palmer |first=Ewan |date=October 12, 2021 |title=QAnon conspiracy theories and hate speech flood Twitter, despite crackdown |url=https://www.newsweek.com/twitter-gab-conspiracy-extremist-links-adl-1637892 |access-date=January 20, 2022 |website=Newsweek |language=en}}</ref> Journalists{{which|date=February 2022}} have criticized Twitter for hate speech being easy to find on the platform.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Grygiel |first=Jennifer |title=Hate speech is still easy to find on social media |url=http://theconversation.com/hate-speech-is-still-easy-to-find-on-social-media-106020 |access-date=January 20, 2022 |website=The Conversation |language=en}}</ref>
 
==== Governments ====
According to documents leaked by [[Edward Snowden]] and published in July 2014, the United Kingdom's [[GCHQ]] has a tool named BIRDSONG for "automated posting of Twitter updates", and a tool named BIRDSTRIKE for "Twitter monitoring and profile collection".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-28306819|title=GCHQ leak lists UK cyber-spies' hacking tools|work=BBC News|date=July 15, 2014|access-date= July 16, 2014}}</ref><ref>[https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/1217406-jtrigall.html#document/p4 "JTRIG Tools and Techniques"]. Retrieved July 16, 2014.</ref>
 
During the [[2019–20 Hong Kong protests]], [[Reactions to the 2019–20 Hong Kong protests#Other reactions|Twitter suspended a core group]] of 1,000 "fake" accounts and an associated network of 200,000 accounts for operating a [[disinformation]] campaign that was linked to the [[Chinese government]]. In their announcement, Twitter released two data sets detailing the core group's account activity.<ref>{{cite web|first1=Makena|last1=Kelly|access-date=August 28, 2019|title=Facebook and Twitter uncover Chinese trolls spreading doubts about Hong Kong protests|url=https://www.theverge.com/2019/8/19/20812621/twitter-facebook-china-hong-kong-protests-information-operation-disinfo|date=August 19, 2019|website=[[The Verge]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|access-date=August 28, 2019|title=Hong Kong protests: Twitter and Facebook crack down on "deceptive" accounts linked to China|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/hong-kong-protests-twitter-facebook-crack-down-on-deceptive-accounts-linked-to-china/|website=[[CBS News]]|first=Ramy|last=Inocencio|date=August 20, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Information operations directed at Hong Kong|url=https://blog.twitter.com/en_us/topics/company/2019/information_operations_directed_at_Hong_Kong|website=Twitter Blog|date=August 19, 2019}}</ref> [[Geng Shuang]], the spokesperson of the Chinese [[Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China|Ministry of Foreign Affairs]], did not comment on the suspensions but suggested that the activity could be attributed to [[overseas Chinese]] citizens.<ref>{{cite news|access-date=August 28, 2019|title=China cries foul over Facebook, Twitter block of fake accounts|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-hongkong-protests-twitter-idUSKCN1VA0RQ|newspaper=[[Reuters]]|date=August 20, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|access-date=August 28, 2019|title=China Resists Charge by Twitter, Facebook of Disinformation Effort|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/china-resists-charge-by-twitter-facebook-of-disinformation-effort-11566339132|website=[[The Wall Street Journal]]|date=August 20, 2019}}</ref>
 
On June 12, 2020, Twitter suspended over 7,000 accounts from Turkey because those accounts were fake profiles, designed to support the Turkish president and were managed by a central authority. Turkey's communication director said that the decision was illogical, biased and politically motivated.<ref>{{cite web|title=Ankara reacts to Twitter's move to suspend accounts|url=https://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/ankara-reacts-to-twitters-move-to-suspend-accounts-155608|website=hurriyetdailynews|date=June 13, 2020}}</ref>
 
In May 2021, Twitter labeled one of the tweets by [[Sambit Patra]], a spokesman of the local ruling party [[Bharatiya Janata Party|BJP]] in India, as "manipulated media", leading to Twitter's offices in [[Delhi]] and [[Gurgaon]] being raided by the local police.<ref name=DelhiRaid>{{cite news |title=Police in India visited Twitter offices over 'manipulated media' label |url=https://techcrunch.com/2021/05/24/delhi-police-run-by-indias-central-government-raids-twitter-offices-over-manipulated-label/ |last=Singh |first=Manish |work=TechCrunch |date=May 24, 2021 |access-date=May 27, 2021}}</ref> Twitter issued a statement, calling the police visit "a form of intimidation".<ref>{{cite news |title=Twitter says concerned with India intimidation, requests 3 more months to comply with new IT rules |url=https://techcrunch.com/2021/05/27/twitter-says-concerned-with-india-intimidation-requests-3-more-months-to-comply-with-new-it-rules/ |last=Singh |first=Manish |work=TechCrunch |date=May 27, 2021 |access-date=May 27, 2021}}</ref> Later, the [[Government of India|Indian government]] released a statement in July 2021 claiming Twitter has lost its liability protection concerning user-generated content. This was brought on by Twitter's failure to comply with the [[Information Technology Rules, 2021|new IT rules]] introduced in 2021 with a filing stating that the company failed to appoint executives to govern user content on the platform.<ref>{{Cite news |date=July 6, 2021 |title=Twitter loses immunity over user-generated content in India |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/india/twitter-loses-immunity-over-user-generated-content-india-2021-07-06/ |access-date=July 6, 2021}}</ref> Twitter stated to India's government in August 2021 that they have appointed permanent executives and staff to provide for compliance to these new IT rules.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-08-06/twitter-says-has-appointed-officials-to-comply-with-india-rules | title = Twitter Says Has Appointed Officials to Comply With India Rules | first = Upmanyu | last = Trivedi | date = August 6, 2021 | access-date= August 6, 2021 | work = [[Bloomberg News]] }}</ref>
 
====Pornography====
Twitter refers to pornography as "adult content" and permits it on the platform provided that it is marked "sensitive", and makes it visible to all after a click through.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Twitter's sensitive media policy {{!}} Twitter Help |url=https://help.twitter.com/en/rules-and-policies/media-policy |access-date=April 14, 2022 |website=help.twitter.com |language=en}}</ref>  The "super-follow" feature is said to enable competition with the subscription site [[OnlyFans]], used mainly by sex workers.<ref>{{Cite web |date=March 4, 2021 |title=How Twitter is becoming more like OnlyFans - and what that means for users |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/tech/twitter-only-fans-pornography-adult-content-subscription-b1812464.html |access-date=April 14, 2022 |website=The Independent |language=en}}</ref>  Content filtering services for families and schools have noted that the company makes "it really easy to find" porn, and advise blocking the entire domain.<ref>{{Cite web |date=March 16, 2021 |title=Twitter Porn: Here's What Every Parent Needs to Know |url=https://www.bark.us/blog/twitter-porn/ |access-date=April 14, 2022 |website=Bark |language=en-US}}</ref>
 
===Impact===
====Instant, short, and frequent communication====
In May 2008, ''[[The Wall Street Journal]]'' wrote that [[social networking service]]s such as Twitter "elicit mixed feelings in the technology-savvy people who have been their [[Diffusion (business)|early adopters]]. Fans say they are a good way to keep in touch with busy friends. But some users are starting to feel ''too'' connected, as they grapple with check-in messages at odd hours, higher [[Mobile phone|cellphone]] bills and the need to tell acquaintances to stop announcing what they're having for dinner."<ref>{{cite news |access-date=February 22, 2011 |url=https://www.wsj.com/public/article/SB117373145818634482-ZwdoPQ0PqPrcFMDHDZLz_P6osnI_20080315.html |title=Friends Swap Twitters, and Frustration&nbsp;– New Real-Time Messaging Services Overwhelm Some Users with Mundane Updates from Friends |work=[[The Wall Street Journal]] |date=March 16, 2007 |last=Lavallee |first=Andrew |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150314141935/http://www.wsj.com/public/article/SB117373145818634482-ZwdoPQ0PqPrcFMDHDZLz_P6osnI_20080315.html |archive-date=March 14, 2015 |url-status=dead  }}</ref> The following year, [[John C. Dvorak]] described Twitter as "the new [[Citizens band radio|CB radio]]".<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2351932,00.asp|title=Twitter Is the New CB Radio|first=John C.|last=Dvorak|date=August 25, 2009|magazine=PC Magazine}}</ref>
 
====Emergency use====
A practical use for Twitter's real-time functionality is as an effective ''[[de facto]]'' emergency communication system for breaking news. It was neither intended nor designed for high-performance communication, but the idea that it could be used for emergency communication was not lost on the creators, who knew that the service could have wide-reaching effects early on when the company used it to communicate during earthquakes.<ref>{{cite journal |first1=Alexander |last1=Mills |first2=Rui |last2=Chen |first3=JinKyu |last3=Lee |first4=H. Raghav |last4=Rao |title=Web 2.0 Emergency Applications: How Useful Can Twitter Be for Emergency Response? |journal=Twitter for Emergency Management and Mitigation |year=2009 |page=3 |url=http://denman-mills.net/web_documents/jips_mills.etal._2009.07.22_finalsubmission.pdf |access-date=November 20, 2016 |archive-date=February 6, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170206120212/http://denman-mills.net/web_documents/jips_mills.etal._2009.07.22_finalsubmission.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>
 
Another practical use that is being studied is Twitter's ability to track epidemics and how they spread.<ref>{{cite news |first=Brooke |last=Jarvis |title=Twitter becomes a tool for tracking flu epidemics and other public health issues |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/twitter-becomes-a-tool-for-tracking-flu-epidemics-and-other-public-health-issues/2013/03/04/9d4315c2-6eef-11e2-aa58-243de81040ba_story.html |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |date=March 4, 2013 |access-date=November 21, 2016}}</ref> Additionally Twitter serves as a real-time sensor for natural disasters such as bush fires and earthquakes.<ref>{{cite journal |first1=Robert |last1=Power |first2=Bella |last2=Robinson |first3=David |last3=Ratcliffe |title=Finding Fires with Twitter |url=http://www.aclweb.org/anthology/U/U13/U13-1011.pdf |journal=Proceedings of Australasian Language Technology Association Workshop |year=2013 |access-date=November 21, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |first1=Paul |last1=Earle |first2=Daniel |last2=Bowden |first3=Michelle |last3=Guy |title=Twitter earthquake detection: earthquake monitoring in a social world |url=http://www.annalsofgeophysics.eu/index.php/annals/article/view/5364 |journal=Annals of Geophysics |year=2011 |volume=54 |issue=6 |access-date=November 21, 2016}}</ref>
 
====Education====
Twitter has been adopted as a communication and learning tool in educational and research<ref>{{Cite journal | volume = 3| issue = 1| last = Grandjean| first = Martin| title = A social network analysis of Twitter: Mapping the digital humanities community| journal =Cogent Arts & Humanities| date = 2016| page = 1171458| doi=10.1080/23311983.2016.1171458| s2cid = 114999767}}</ref> settings mostly in colleges and universities.<ref>Rankin, M. (2010). [http://www.utdallas.edu/~mrankin/usweb/twitterconclusions.htm "Some general comments on the 'Twitter Experiment'"]</ref><ref>Grosseck & Holotescu (2008). [http://www.cblt.soton.ac.uk/multimedia/PDFsMM09/Can%20we%20use%20twitter%20for%20educational%20activities.pdf "Can we use Twitter for educational activities?"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120518012255/http://www.cblt.soton.ac.uk/multimedia/PDFsMM09/Can%20we%20use%20twitter%20for%20educational%20activities.pdf |date=May 18, 2012 }} Proceedings of the 4th International Scientific Conference: eLearning and Software forEducation, Bucharest, Romania.</ref> It has been used as a [[backchannel]] to promote student interactions, especially in large-lecture courses.<ref>Elavsky, CM, Mislan, C & Elavsky, S (2011). When talking less is more: exploring outcomes of Twitter usage in the large‐lecture hall. ''Learning, Media and Technology'' Volume 36, Issue 3.</ref> Research has found that using Twitter in college courses helps students communicate with each other and faculty, promotes informal learning, allows shy students a forum for increased participation, increases student engagement, and improves overall course grades.<ref>Junco, R., Heiberger, G., & Loken, E. (2011). [http://blog.reyjunco.com/pdf/JuncoHeibergerLokenTwitterEngagementGrades.pdf "The effect of Twitter on college student engagement and grades"]. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 27(2), 119–132. {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120508093835/http://blog.reyjunco.com/pdf/JuncoHeibergerLokenTwitterEngagementGrades.pdf |date=May 8, 2012 }}</ref><ref>Junco, R., Elavsky, C. M., Heiberger, G. (2012). [http://reyjunco.com/wordpress/pdf/JuncoElavskyHeibergerTwitterCollaboration.pdf "Putting Twitter to the test: assessing outcomes for student collaboration, engagement, and success"]. British Journal of Educational Technology. doi:10.1111/j.1467-8535.2012.01284.x {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130120114952/http://reyjunco.com/wordpress/pdf/JuncoElavskyHeibergerTwitterCollaboration.pdf |date=January 20, 2013 }}</ref><ref>Ebner, Lienhardt, Rohs, & Meyer (2010). [http://www.cblt.soton.ac.uk/multimedia/PDFs10/micriblogs%20in%20higher%20education%20process%20orientated%20learning.pdf "Microblogs in Higher Education – A chance to facilitate informal and process-oriented learning?"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110626175108/http://www.cblt.soton.ac.uk/multimedia/PDFs10/micriblogs%20in%20higher%20education%20process%20orientated%20learning.pdf |date=June 26, 2011 }} ''Computers & Education'', 55, 92–100.</ref>
 
Twitter has been an increasingly growing in the field of education, as an effective tool that can be used to encourage learning and idea, or knowledge sharing, in and outside the classroom.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal|last1=Carrie|first1=Ross|last2=Maninger|first2=Robert|last3=LaPrairie|first3=Kimberly|last4=Sullivan|first4=Sam|date=Spring 2015|title=The Use of Twitter in the Creation of Educational Professional Learning Opportunities|url=https://dc.swosu.edu/aij/vol5/iss1/6|journal=Administrative Issues Journal: Connecting Education, Practice, and Research.|volume= 5|pages=55–76|issn=2153-7615|doi=10.5929/2015.5.1.7|id={{ERIC|EJ1062476}}}}</ref> By using or creating hashtags, students and educators are able to communicate under specific categories of their choice, to enhance and promote education. A broad example of a hashtag used in education is "edchat", to communicate with other teachers, and people using that hashtag. Once teachers find someone they want to talk to, they can either direct message the person, or narrow down the hashtag to make the topic of the conversation more specific using hashtags for scichat (science), engchat (English), sschat (social studies).<ref name=":0" />
 
In a 2011 study, researchers found that young peoples use of Twitter helped to improve relationships with teachers, encourage interactive learning, and ultimately lead to high grades.<ref name=":0" /> In the same study it was found that out of a group of 158 educators, 92% agreed that the reason they use Twitter is because of how user friendly it is,<ref name=":0" /> another 86% agreed that they started and continue using Twitter because of how easy it is to learn, and finally,<ref name=":0" /> 93% said they use Twitter because it is free. People found that sifting through large amounts of data is challenging, however, with the simple nature of Twitter large amount of information became easily accessible.<ref name=":1">{{Cite journal|last1=Greenhow|first1=Christine|last2=Gleason|first2=Benjamin|date=October 3, 2012|title=Twitteracy: Tweeting as a New Literacy Practice|journal=The Educational Forum|volume= 76|issue=4|pages=464–478|doi=10.1080/00131725.2012.709032|s2cid=145800002|url=https://semanticscholar.org/paper/58f577c3809044f30566f4762f40e533e02a62f8}}</ref> Much of this simplicity comes from the use of the hashtag, and the intuitive nature of how Twitter as a microblogging site operates.<ref name=":1" /> These features help to promote education outside the classroom in a global setting where students and educators are easily able to create, connect, and share knowledge. This ultimately promotes growth and learning among students and educators, not just in the classroom, but virtually and around the world.
 
====Public figures====
Tech writer [[Bruce Sterling]] commented in 2007 that using Twitter for "literate communication" is "about as likely as firing up a [[CB radio]] and hearing some guy recite the ''[[Iliad]]''".<ref>{{Registration required|date=February 2011}} {{Cite news| author=Pontin, Jason| title=From Many Tweets, One Loud Voice on the Internet | date=April 22, 2007 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/22/business/yourmoney/22stream.html | work =[[The New York Times]] | access-date = June 21, 2009 | author-link= Jason Pontin }}</ref> In September 2008, the journalist [[Clive Thompson (journalist)|Clive Thompson]] mused in a ''[[The New York Times Magazine|New York Times Magazine]]'' editorial that the service had expanded narcissism into "a new, supermetabolic extreme—the ultimate expression of a generation of celebrity-addled youths who believe their every utterance is fascinating and ought to be shared with the world".<ref>{{Registration required|date=February 2011}} {{Cite news| first=Clive | last=Thompson| title=I'm So Totally, Digitally Close to You | date=September 5, 2009 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/07/magazine/07awareness-t.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all | work =[[The New York Times Magazine]] | access-date = August 22, 2009 }}</ref> One of the earliest documented forms of celebrity-related Twitter-like disclosures dates from 1980, when real estate mogul William Desmond Ryan made round-the-clock press releases about his relationship with comedian [[Phyllis Diller]], even revealing what she was making him for dinner on a nightly basis.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=888&dat=19800114&id=yWlQAAAAIBAJ&pg=5925,4940736|title=St. Petersburg Times – Google News Archive Search|newspaper=St. Petersburg Times|access-date=October 7, 2014}}</ref> Conversely, ''[[Vancouver Sun]]'' columnist Steve Dotto opined that part of Twitter's appeal is the challenge of trying to publish such messages in tight constraints,<ref>{{cite web |first=Nick |last=Lewis |title=Tweet this: It's the year of the Twitter |url=https://vancouversun.com/Entertainment/Tweet%2Bthis%2Byear%2BTwitter/1470046/story.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090415062601/http://www.vancouversun.com/Entertainment/Tweet%2Bthis%2Byear%2BTwitter/1470046/story.html |website=[[The Vancouver Sun]]  |date=April 6, 2009 |archive-date=April 15, 2009 |access-date=May 5, 2017}}</ref> and [[Jonathan Zittrain]], professor of Internet law at [[Harvard Law School]], said that "the qualities that make Twitter seem inane and half-baked are what makes it so powerful."<ref>{{registration required|date=February 2011}} {{Cite news| first=Noam | last=Cohen | title=Twitter on the Barricades: Six Lessons Learned | date=June 20, 2009 | work=[[The New York Times]] | url = https://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/21/weekinreview/21cohenweb.html?_r=1&hp | access-date = June 21, 2009 }}</ref> In that same vein, and with Sigmund Freud in mind, political communications expert Matthew Auer observed that well-crafted tweets by public figures often deliberately mix trivial and serious information so as to appeal to all three parts of the reader's personality: the id, ego, and superego.<ref>{{cite journal |first1=Matthew |last1=Auer |title=The Policy Sciences of Social Media |journal=Policy Studies Journal |year=2011 |volume=39 |issue=4 |pages=709–736 |doi=10.1111/j.1541-0072.2011.00428.x |s2cid=153590593 }}</ref>
 
The poets [[Mira Gonzalez]] and [[Tao Lin]] published a book titled ''Selected Tweets'' featuring selections of their tweets over some eight years. The book was designed to look like a small bible.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thefader.com/2015/06/08/mira-gonzalez-tao-lin-twitter-interview-with-juliet-escoria|title=Mira Gonzalez And Tao Lin's Selected Tweets Is Deeper Than It Seems|publisher=The Fader|date=June 8, 2015|last=Escoria|first=Julia|access-date=January 6, 2021}}</ref>
 
The novelist [[Rick Moody]] wrote a short story for Electric Literature called "Some Contemporary Characters," composed entirely of tweets.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Rick Moody's Twitter Short Story Draws Long List of Complaints|url=https://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2009/12/01/rick-moodys-twitter-short-story-draws-long-list-of-complaints/|date=December 1, 2009|work=[[Wall Street Journal]]|access-date=May 19, 2012|first=Steven|last=Kurutz}}</ref>
 
During a February 2009 discussion on [[NPR|National Public Radio]]'s<!--it only changed to "npr" in 2010--> ''[[Weekend Edition]]'', the journalist [[Daniel Schorr]] stated that Twitter accounts of events lacked rigorous fact-checking and other editorial improvements. In response, [[Andy Carvin]] gave Schorr two examples of [[breaking news]] stories that played out on Twitter and said users wanted first-hand accounts and sometimes debunked stories.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=101265831|title=Welcome to the Twitterverse|publisher=[[NPR|National Public Radio]]<!--it only changed to "npr" in 2010-->|date=February 28, 2009|author=Carvin, Andy|access-date=February 22, 2011|author-link=Andy Carvin}}</ref> ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' magazine acknowledged its growing level of influence in its 2010 [[Time 100]]; to determine the influence of people, it used a formula based on famous social networking sites, Twitter and Facebook. The list ranges from [[Barack Obama]] and [[Oprah Winfrey]] to [[Lady Gaga]] and [[Ashton Kutcher]].<ref>{{cite web|author=Vidyarthi, Neil|url=http://www.socialtimes.com/2010/04/time-magazines-social-influence-index-led-by-obama-gaga-kutcher/ |title=Time Magazine's Social Influence Index Led by Obama, Gaga, Kutcher |publisher=socialtimes.com |date=April 30, 2010 |access-date=February 22, 2011}}</ref><ref>[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]] on February 28, 2011, described Twitter and other social media as a "strategic weapon ... which have the apparent ability to re-align the social order in real time, with little or no advanced [sic] warning".</ref>
 
During the [[2012 Summer Olympics opening ceremony]], in which he appeared at the [[Olympic Stadium (London)|London Olympic Stadium]] in person,<ref name="Friar">{{cite news |title=Sir Tim Berners-Lee stars in Olympics opening ceremony |first=Karen |last=Friar |url=https://www.zdnet.com/uk/sir-tim-berners-lee-stars-in-olympics-opening-ceremony-7000001744/ |newspaper=ZDNet |date=July 28, 2012 |access-date=July 28, 2012}}</ref> Sir [[Tim Berners-Lee]], the founder of the World Wide Web, tweeted "This is for everyone",<ref>{{cite tweet|number=228960085672599552|user=timberners_lee|title=This is for everyone #london2012 #oneweb #openingceremony @webfoundation @w3c<!-- full text of tweet that Twitter returned to the bot (excluding links) added by TweetCiteBot. This may be better truncated or may need expanding (TW limits responses to 140 characters) or case changes. --> |access-date=July 28, 2012|date=July 27, 2012}}</ref> which was instantly spelled out in [[LCD]] lights attached to the chairs of the 80,000 people in the audience.<ref name=Friar />
 
Many commentators have suggested that Twitter radically changed the format of reporting due to instant, short, and frequent communication.<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Impact of Twitter on Journalism {{!}} Off Book|url=https://ca.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/2c19b182-83df-4168-b61b-158d993e8de2/the-impact-of-twitter-on-journalism/|access-date=January 31, 2021|website=PBS LearningMedia|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Chamberlain|first=Craig|title=How has Twitter changed news coverage?|url=https://news.illinois.edu/view/6367/267046|access-date=January 31, 2021|website=news.illinois.edu|language=en-US}}</ref> According to ''[[The Atlantic]]'' writers Benjamin M. Reilly and Robinson Meyer, Twitter has an outsized impact on the public discourse and media.  "Something happens on Twitter; celebrities, politicians and journalists talk about it, and it's circulated to a wider audience by Twitter's algorithms; journalists write about the dustup." This can lead to an argument on a Twitter feed looking like a "debate roiling the country... regular people are left with a confused, agitated view of our current political discourse".<ref>{{Cite web|date=February 12, 2020|title=Twitter Is Not as Important as Journalists Make It Seem|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/letters/archive/2020/02/twitter-is-bad-for-the-news/605782/|access-date=January 31, 2021|website=The Atlantic|language=en-US}}</ref> In a 2018 article in the ''[[Columbia Journalism Review]]'', Matthew Ingram argued much the same about Twitter's "oversized role" and that it promotes immediacy over newsworthiness.<ref name=":6">{{Cite web|title=Do journalists pay too much attention to Twitter?|url=https://www.cjr.org/the_media_today/journalists-on-twitter-study.php|access-date=January 31, 2021|website=Columbia Journalism Review|language=en}}</ref> In some cases, inauthentic and provocative tweets were taken up as common opinion in mainstream articles. Writers in several outlets unintentionally cited the opinions of Russian [[Internet Research Agency]]-affiliated accounts.<ref name=":6" /><ref name=":7">{{Cite web|title=Most major outlets have used Russian tweets as sources for partisan opinion: study|url=https://www.cjr.org/analysis/tweets-russia-news.php|access-date=January 31, 2021|website=Columbia Journalism Review|language=en}}</ref>
 
====World leaders====
[[File:Donald Trump Facebook Twitter post 19679418 10159419638630725 2833632475130915488.jpg|thumb|280px|Donald Trump's Twitter post]]
World leaders and their diplomats have taken note of Twitter's rapid expansion and have been increasingly utilizing [[Twitter diplomacy]], the use of Twitter to engage with foreign publics and their own citizens. US Ambassador to Russia, [[Michael A. McFaul]] has been attributed as a pioneer of international Twitter diplomacy. He used Twitter after becoming ambassador in 2011, posting in English and Russian.<ref>{{Cite news
| last = Ländler
| first = Mark
| title = In the Scripted World of Diplomacy, a Burst of Tweets
| work = International New York Times
| access-date = April 28, 2014
| date = February 4, 2014
| url = https://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/05/world/middleeast/in-the-scripted-world-of-diplomacy-a-burst-of-tweets.html
}}</ref> On October 24, 2014, [[Queen Elizabeth II]] sent her first tweet to mark the opening of the [[London Science Museum]]'s Information Age exhibition.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-29754628|title=Queen's first tweet.|newspaper=BBC News|date=October 24, 2014|last1=Cellan-Jones|first1=Rory}}</ref> A 2013 study by website Twiplomacy found that 153 of the 193 countries represented at the [[United Nations]] had established government Twitter accounts.<ref name="twiplomacy">{{cite web|publisher=Twiplomacy.com|title=Twiplomacy Study 2013 – International Organisations|url=http://twiplomacy.com|access-date=April 27, 2014}}</ref> The same study also found that those accounts amounted to 505 Twitter handles used by world leaders and their foreign ministers, with their tweets able to reach a combined audience of over 106&nbsp;million followers.<ref name=twiplomacy />
 
According to an analysis of accounts, the heads of state of 125 countries and 139 other leading politicians have Twitter accounts that have between them sent more than 350,000 tweets and have almost 52&nbsp;million followers. However, only 30 of these do their own tweeting, more than 80 do not subscribe to other politicians and many do not follow any accounts.<ref>John Heilprin ''Leaders all a twitter but few do own tweets'' [[The Advertiser (Adelaide)|The Advertiser]] July 28, 2012, Pg 64</ref>
 
====Religion====
As of October 2015, more than twenty [[Cardinal (Catholicism)|Roman Catholic cardinals]] managed active Twitter accounts,<ref>{{cite web|url = https://sixfortyone.co.uk/list-cardinals-twitter-october-2015/|title = A List of Cardinals on Twitter (October 2015)|publisher = sixfortyone.co.uk|access-date = October 12, 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160119175258/https://sixfortyone.co.uk/list-cardinals-twitter-october-2015/|archive-date = January 19, 2016|df = mdy-all}}</ref> nine of whom were [[Cardinal electors for the papal conclave, 2013|cardinal electors]] for the [[2013 Papal conclave]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Tweeting Cardinals Share Pre-Conclave Thoughts|url=https://abcnews.go.com/blogs/technology/2013/03/tweeting-cardinals-share-pre-conclave-thoughts/|access-date=September 24, 2013|newspaper=ABC News|date=March 6, 2013|first=Alyssa|last=Newcomb}}</ref> [[Pope Benedict XVI]]'s Twitter account was set up in 2012. As of April 2022, his successor, [[Pope Francis]], has 18.9&nbsp;million followers of his Twitter account (@Pontifex).<ref>{{cite news|title=The reason why the Pope has a Twitter and not a Facebook account|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/the-reason-why-the-pope-has-a-twitter-and-not-a-facebook-account-9426746.html|access-date=April 11, 2016|newspaper=The Independent|date=May 23, 2014|first=Linda|last=Sharkey}}</ref>{{needs update|date=February 2022}}
 
===Censorship and moderation===
{{Main|Censorship of Twitter|Deplatforming|Twitter suspensions}}
Twitter is banned completely in Russia,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/russia-blocks-facebook-twitter/ |title=Russia blocks Facebook and Twitter access |work=CBS News |last=Sganga |first=Nicole |date=March 4, 2022 |access-date=March 14, 2022}}</ref> [[Iran]], China and North Korea,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.economist.com/blogs/erasmus/2015/05/religion-twitter-and-freedom |title=Religion, Twitter and freedom: A peaceful explosion |newspaper=The Economist |date=May 27, 2015 |access-date=June 2, 2015}}</ref> and has been intermittently blocked in numerous countries including Egypt, Iraq, Nigeria, Turkey, Venezuela and [[Turkmenistan]] on different bases.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2009/jun/02/twitter-china|title=China blocks Twitter, Flickr, YouTube and Hotmail ahead of Tiananmen anniversary|last=Branigan |first=Tania|work=The Guardian|location=London}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2014-02-14/twitter-says-venezuela-blocks-its-images-amid-protest-crackdown|title=Venezuelans Blocked on Twitter as Opposition Protests Mount|first=Patricia|last=Laya|work=Bloomberg.com|date=February 15, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://blog.twitter.com/2014/challenging-the-access-ban-in-turkey|title=Challenging the access ban in Turkey|work=twitter.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/iraq-crisis-twitter-google-youtube-facebook-blocked-by-government-stop-isis-plotting-1452567|title=Iraq Crisis: Twitter, Google, YouTube and Facebook Blocked by Government to Stop Isis Plotting|work=International Business Times UK|date=June 13, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-16094646|title=Turkmenistan country profile|author=BBC Monitoring|website=BBC News|date=February 26, 2018}}</ref><ref name="guardian-4jun2021">{{cite news |title=Nigeria suspends Twitter after president's tweet was deleted |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jun/04/nigeria-suspends-twitter-after-presidents-tweet-was-deleted |access-date=June 4, 2021 |work=[[The Guardian]] |agency=[[Reuters]] |date=June 4, 2021}}</ref> In 2016, Twitter cooperated with the Israeli government to remove certain content originating outside Israel from tweets seen in Israel.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://972mag.com/how-israel-is-trying-to-enforce-gag-orders-beyond-its-borders/121266/|title=How Israel is trying to enforce gag orders beyond its borders|author= Michael Schaeffer Omer-Man|publisher=972 Mag|date=August 9, 2016|access-date=September 23, 2016}}</ref> In the 11th biannual transparency report published on September 19, 2017, Twitter said that Turkey was the first among countries where about 90 percent of removal requests came from, followed by Russia, France and Germany.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkey-top-country-seeking-removal-of-content-on-twitter-report.aspx?pageID=238&nID=118172&NewsCatID=339|title=Turkey top country seeking removal of content on Twitter: Report|publisher=hurriyet|date=September 20, 2017|access-date=September 20, 2017}}</ref> Twitter stated that between July 1 and December 31, 2018, "We received legal demands relating to 27,283 accounts from 47 different countries, including Bulgaria, Kyrgyzstan, Macedonia, and Slovenia for the first time."<ref>{{cite news |title=Turkey had highest request for content removal on Twitter |url=https://ipa.news/2019/05/11/turkey-had-highest-request-for-content-removal-on-twitter/ |work=IPA News |date=May 11, 2019}}</ref> As part of evidence to a US Senate Enquiry, the company admitted that their systems "detected and hid" several hundred thousand tweets relating to the [[2016 Democratic National Committee email leak]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://assets.documentcloud.org/documents/4164788/Twitter-testimony-to-Senate-Judiciary-Committee.pdf|title=United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary, Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism: Testimony of Sean J. Edgett, Acting General Counsel, Twitter Inc.|date=October 31, 2017|access-date=November 6, 2017}}</ref> During the curfew in [[Jammu and Kashmir (union territory)|Jammu and Kashmir]] after [[Indian revocation of Jammu and Kashmir's special status|revocation of its autonomous status]] on August 5, 2019, the Indian government approached Twitter to block accounts accused of spreading anti-India content;<ref>{{cite news
| url        = https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/govt-tells-twitter-to-block-accounts-inciting-anti-india-content-using-kashmir/story-V10neIY9VmgfI8rLB67Y4N.html
| title      = Govt tells Twitter to block accounts inciting anti-India content using Kashmir
| publisher  = Hindustan Times
| date      = August 12, 2019
}}</ref> by October 25, nearly one million tweets had been removed as a result.<ref>{{Cite web|date=October 25, 2019|title=Twitter removes almost 1 million tweets in Kashmir, accused of bowing to Indian censorship|url=https://www.newsweek.com/twitter-removes-almost-1m-tweets-kashmir-accused-bowing-indian-censorship-1467721|access-date=November 5, 2020|website=Newsweek|language=en}}</ref>
 
In March 2022, shortly after [[Censorship of Twitter#Russia 2|Russia's censorship of Twitter]], a [[Tor (network)|Tor]] [[.onion|Onion]] service link was created by the platform to allow people to access the website, even in countries with heavy Internet censorship.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Twitter Launches Tor Onion Service Making Site Easier to Access in Russia |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/v7dqxd/twitter-tor-onion-service-dark-web-version |access-date=2022-05-26 |website=www.vice.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Robertson |first=Adi |date=March 8, 2022 |title=Twitter is launching a Tor service for more secure and private tweeting |url=https://www.theverge.com/2022/3/8/22967843/twitter-tor-onion-service-version-launch |access-date=2022-05-26 |website=The Verge |language=en}}</ref>
 
====Moderation of tweets====
Twitter removed more than 88,000 propaganda accounts linked to [[Saudi Arabia]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Twitter just suspended over 88,000 accounts tied to a Saudi disinformation campaign |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/twitter-removed-accounts-saudi-arabia-disinformation-campaign-2019-12 |work=Business Insider |date=December 20, 2019}}</ref> Twitter removed tweets from accounts associated with the Russian [[Internet Research Agency]] that had tried to influence public opinion during and after the 2016 US election.<ref name=":6" /><ref name=":7" /> In June 2020, Twitter also removed 175,000 propaganda accounts that were spreading biased political narratives for the [[Chinese Communist Party]], the [[United Russia|United Russia Party]], or Turkey's President [[Recep Tayyip Erdoğan|Erdogan]], identified based on centralized behavior.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Winder|first=Davey|title=Twitter's Powerful Move Silences 175,000 Chinese And Russian Fake News Accounts|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/daveywinder/2020/06/12/twitters-powerful-move-silences-175000-chinese-and-russian-fake-news-accounts-hong-kong-politics-social-media-disinformation/|access-date=January 31, 2021|website=Forbes|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Disclosing networks of state-linked information operations we've removed|url=https://blog.twitter.com/en_us/topics/company/2020/information-operations-june-2020.html|access-date=January 31, 2021|website=blog.twitter.com|language=en-us}}</ref> Twitter also removed accounts linked to the governments of  [[Armenia]], [[Egypt]], [[Cuba]], [[Serbia]], [[Honduras]], [[Indonesia]] and [[Iran]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Twitter suspends government-run accounts in Cuba |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-49683029 |work=BBC News |date=September 12, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Twitter removes accounts linked to Egypt, Saudi Arabia, other countries |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-twitter-accounts-idUSKBN21K1SK |work=Reuters |date=April 2, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Twitter removes hundreds of accounts it says are linked to Iran, Russia, Armenia |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-twitter-content-idUSKBN2AN1WW |work=Reuters |date=February 23, 2021}}</ref> Twitter suspended Pakistani accounts tied to government officials for posting tweets about the [[Kashmir conflict]] between India and Pakistan.<ref>{{cite news |title=200 accounts suspended over Kashmir reported to Twitter |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1500457 |work=[[Dawn (newspaper)|Dawn]] |date=August 20, 2019}}</ref> In February 2021, Twitter removed accounts in India that criticized Prime Minister [[Narendra Modi]]'s government for its conduct during [[2020–2021 Indian farmers' protest|Indian farmers' protests in 2020–2021]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Twitter Blocks Accounts in India as Modi Pressures Social Media|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/10/technology/india-twitter.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211228/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/10/technology/india-twitter.html |archive-date=December 28, 2021 |url-access=limited |work=The New York Times |date=February 10, 2021}}{{cbignore}}</ref>
 
At the start of the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, numerous tweets reported false medical information related to the pandemic. Twitter announced a new policy in which they would label tweets containing misinformation going forward.<ref name="twitter misinformation" /> In April 2020, Twitter removed accounts which defended President [[Rodrigo Duterte]]'s response to the spread of COVID-19 in the [[Philippines]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Twitter suspends accounts defending Duterte's COVID-19 response – report |url=https://technology.inquirer.net/98139/twitter-suspends-accounts-defending-dutertes-covid-19-response-report |work=Inquirer.net |date=April 10, 2020}}</ref>
 
In November 2020, then Chief Technology Officer and future CEO of Twitter [[Parag Agrawal]], when asked by [[MIT Technology Review]] about balancing the protection of [[Freedom of speech|free speech]] as a core value and the endeavour to combat misinformation, said: "Our role is not to be bound by the [[First Amendment to the United States Constitution|First Amendment]], but our role is to serve a healthy public conversation … focus less on thinking about free speech, but thinking about how the times have changed."<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.technologyreview.com/2020/11/18/1012066/emtech-stage-twitters-cto-on-misinformation/ |title= EmTech Stage: Twitter's CTO on misinformation |website=technologyreview.com |date=November 18, 2020 |access-date=November 30, 2021}}</ref>
 
===== Birdwatch =====
[[File:Birdwatch Logo.svg|thumb|alt=Birdwatch|upright=0.5|Logo of Birdwatch, a Twitter program]]
As part of its means to moderate misinformation, Twitter launched its crowd-sourced Birdwatch program in January 2021. Trusted users in the program will have the ability to monitor tweets and replies that may include misinformation and countermessages providing fact-checking as to have Twitter tag these messages appropriately from the Birdwatch community.<ref>{{cite web | url =https://www.theverge.com/2021/1/25/22248903/twitter-birdwatch-fact-checking-misinformation | title = Twitter launches Birdwatch, a fact-checking program intended to fight misinformation | first = Kim | last = Lyons | date = January 25, 2021 | access-date = January 25, 2021 | work = [[The Verge]] }}</ref>
 
In November 2021, Twitter announced an update to the Birdwatch moderation tool, meant to limit the visibility of contributors' identities by creating aliases for their accounts.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Lyons|first=Kim|date=November 22, 2021|title=Twitter introduces aliases for contributors to its Birdwatch moderation program|url=https://www.theverge.com/2021/11/22/22796918/twitter-moderation-birdwatch-aliases-contributors-misinformation|access-date=November 22, 2021|website=The Verge|language=en}}</ref> In March 2022, Twitter expanded access to notes made by the Birdwatch moderators, giving a randomized set of US users the ability to view the notes attached to tweets and rate them.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Perez|first=Sarah|date=March 3, 2022|title=Twitter to show 'Birdwatch' community fact-checks to more users, following criticism|url=https://techcrunch.com/2022/03/03/twitter-to-show-birdwatch-community-fact-checks-to-more-users-following-criticism/|access-date=March 3, 2022|website=Tech Crunch|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last1=Oremus|first1=Will|last2=Merrill|first2=Jeremy B.|date=March 2, 2022|title=As Ukraine misinformation rages, Twitter's fact-checking tool is a no-show|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/03/01/twitter-birdwatch-ukraine-fact-checking-misinfo/|access-date=March 3, 2022|newspaper=The Washington Post|language=en}}</ref>
 
==Television==
Twitter is increasingly used for [[Social media and television|TV to be more interactive]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tvgenius.net/blog/2011/03/31/shows-viewers-tweeting-operators/ |title=What Shows Are Viewers Tweeting About and What Does this Mean for Operators? |publisher=Tvgenius.net |date=March 31, 2011 |access-date=May 22, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110411012358/http://www.tvgenius.net/blog/2011/03/31/shows-viewers-tweeting-operators/ |archive-date=April 11, 2011 }}</ref> This effect is sometimes referred to as the [[second screen]],<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Hayat|first1=Tsahi|last2=Samuel-Azran|first2=Tal|year=2017|title="You too, Second Screeners?" Second Screeners' Echo Chambers During the 2016 U.S. Elections Primaries|journal=Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media|volume=61|issue=2|pages=291–308|doi=10.1080/08838151.2017.1309417|s2cid=148973729}}</ref> "virtual watercooler" or [[social television]]—the practice has been called "chatterboxing".<ref>[http://news.sky.com/home/technology/article/16189017 "Social Web Makes TV Viewers 'Chatterboxers'"], Sky News, March 15, 2012 {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120317215524/http://news.sky.com/home/technology/article/16189017 |date=March 17, 2012 }}</ref> Twitter has been successfully used to encourage people to watch live TV events, such as the [[Oscars]], the [[Super Bowl]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://blog.twitter.com/2010/02/super-data.html |title=Twitter Blog: Super Data |publisher=Blog.twitter.com |date=February 10, 2010 |access-date=May 22, 2011}}</ref> and the [[MTV Video Music Award]]s; however this strategy has proven less effective with regularly scheduled TV shows.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tvgenius.net/blog/2011/05/25/twitter-drive-tv-live-ratings/ |title=Does Twitter Drive TV Ratings? |publisher=Tvgenius.net |access-date=November 14, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111101040214/http://www.tvgenius.net/blog/2011/05/25/twitter-drive-tv-live-ratings/ |archive-date=November 1, 2011 }}</ref> Such direct cross-promotions have been banned from French television due to regulations against secret advertising.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.france24.com/en/20110606-business-technology-france-regulators-ban-facebook-twitter-promotion-on-tv# |title=France bans Facebook and Twitter promotion on TV |publisher=FRANCE 24 |date=June 6, 2011 |access-date=November 14, 2011}}</ref>
 
In December 2012, Twitter and Nielsen entered a multi-year agreement to produce social TV ratings, which are expected to be commercially available for the fall 2013 season as the Nielsen Twitter TV Rating.<ref name="Shontell">{{cite web|author=Shontell, Alyson|date=February 4, 2013|title=Twitter Makes Big Acquisition, Buys Social TV Analytics Company Bluefin Labs|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/twitter-bluefin-labs-2013-2|website=Business Insider|access-date=February 6, 2013}}</ref> ''[[Advertising Age]]'' said Twitter had become the new ''[[TV Guide]]''.<ref>{{cite news|date=October 23, 2012|title=Twitter Has Become the New TV Guide – Now Can It Offer New TV Rating?|url=http://adage.com/article/digital/twitter-tv-guide-tv-rating/237910/|work=Advertising Age|publisher=Crain|access-date=February 6, 2013}}</ref> Then in February 2013, Twitter acquired [[Bluefin Labs]] for an estimated US$50&nbsp;million to $100&nbsp;million. Founded in 2008 at the [[MIT Media Lab]], Bluefin is a [[data mining|data miner]] whose analysis tells which brands (e.g., TV shows and companies) are chatted about the most in social media.<ref name=Shontell /><ref>{{cite news|author=Stelter, Brian|date=February 5, 2013|title=Twitter Buys Company That Mines Chatter About TV|url=http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/02/05/twitter-buys-company-that-mines-chatter-about-tv/|work=The New York Times|access-date=February 6, 2013}}</ref> MIT ''[[Technology Review]]'' said that Bluefin gives Twitter part of the US$72&nbsp;billion [[television advertisement|television advertising]] market.<ref>{{cite news|author=Talbot, David|date=February 5, 2013|title=Buying Bluefin Will Give Twitter a Piece of TV's $72 Billion Ad Market|url=http://www.technologyreview.com/news/510811/buying-bluefin-will-give-twitter-a-piece-of-tvs-72-billion-ad-market/|work=MIT Technology Review|access-date=February 6, 2013}}</ref>
 
In May 2013, it launched [[Twitter Amplify]]—an advertising product for media and consumer brands.<ref>{{cite news|author=Indvik, Lauren|date=May 23, 2013|title=Twitter Amplify Will Bring Sponsored Video Clips to Your Feed|url=http://mashable.com/2013/05/23/twitter-amplify/|work=Mashable|access-date=May 25, 2014}}</ref> With Amplify, Twitter runs video highlights from major live broadcasts, with advertisers' names and messages playing before the clip.<ref>{{cite news|author=Lunden, Ingrid|date=May 23, 2013|title=Twitter Launches TV Ad Targeting, Twitter Amplify For Real-Time Videos In Stream|url=https://techcrunch.com/2013/05/23/twitter-launches-twitter-amplify-for-real-time-videos-in-stream-partnering-with-bbc-fox-fuse-and-weather-channel/|work=TechCrunch|access-date=May 25, 2014}}</ref> In October 2013, Comcast announced that it had partnered with Twitter to implement its "See It" feature within the service, allowing posts promoting programs on selected [[NBCUniversal]] channels to contain direct links to [[TV Everywhere]] streaming to the program. On launch, the concept was limited to NBCUniversal channels and [[Xfinity]] cable television subscribers.<ref name="variety-nbcseeitbutton">{{cite web|title='See It' Button Should Be the Game-Changer Pay TV Desperately Needs|url=https://variety.com/2013/digital/news/new-comcast-twitter-collab-has-makings-of-a-game-changer-1200807027/|website=Variety|access-date=May 12, 2017|date=November 24, 2013}}</ref>
 
In an attempt to compete with Twitter's leadership in TV, Facebook introduced a number of features in 2013 to drive conversation about TV including hashtags, verified profiles and embeddable posts. It also opened up new data visualization APIs for TV news and other media outlets, enabling them to search for a word and see a firehose of public posts that mention it as well as show how many people mentioned a word in both public and private posts during a set time frame, with a demographic breakdown of the age, gender, and location of these people.<ref>{{cite news|author=Constine, Josh|date=May 21, 2014|title=Facebook Adds Shazam-Style Audio Recognition To Help You Automatically Tag Posts With TV Shows And Songs|url=https://techcrunch.com/2014/05/21/facebook-audio-id/|work=TechCrunch|access-date=May 26, 2014}}</ref> In January 2014, Facebook announced a partnership with UK-based social TV analytics company SecondSync which saw the social network make its social TV available outside the company for the first time. Facebook struck the partnership to help marketers understand how people are using the social network to talk about topics such as TV.<ref>{{cite news|author=Protalinski, Emil|date=January 30, 2014|title=Facebook opens up its social TV data for the first time in partnership with UK analytics firm SecondSync|url=https://thenextweb.com/facebook/2014/01/30/facebook-opens-social-tv-data-first-time-partnership-second-sync-analytics-firm/|work=The Next Web|access-date=June 1, 2014}}</ref> However, Twitter responded by acquiring SecondSync and Parisian social TV firm Mesagraph three months later. These acquisitions, as well as a partnership with research company Kantar (which it had been working with to develop a suite of analytics tools for the British TV industry since August 2013) strengthened Twitter's dominance of the "second screen" – TV viewers using tablets and smartphones to share their TV experience on social media. With the additional analytic tools, Twitter was able to improve the firm's offering to advertisers, allowing them to, for instance, only promote a tweet onto the timelines of users who were watching a certain programme.<ref>{{cite news|author=Hern, Alex|date=April 1, 2014|title=Twitter buys UK 'social TV' firm SecondSync|url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/apr/01/twitter-buys-uk-social-tv-firm-secondsync-second-screen-viewing|work=The Guardian|access-date=June 1, 2014}}</ref>
 
By February 2014, all four major U.S. TV networks had signed up to the Amplify program, bringing a variety of premium TV content onto the social platform in the form of in-tweet real-time video clips.<ref>{{cite news|author=Wasserman, Todd|date=February 27, 2014|title=Twitter Snags the Last of the Major Networks, ABC, for Amplify|url=http://mashable.com/2014/02/27/twitter-amplify-abc-oscars/|work=Mashable|access-date=May 25, 2014}}</ref> In March 2014, [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]] became the first major broadcaster in the UK to sign up to Twitter Amplify<ref>{{cite news|author=Plunkett, John|date=March 31, 2014|title=ITV commercial boss warns brands that 90% of content is 'crap'|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2014/mar/31/itv-commercial-boss-warns-brands-content-crap|work=The Guardian|location=London|access-date=April 12, 2014}}</ref> and Twitter introduced one-tap video playback across its mobile apps to further enhance the consumer experience.<ref>{{cite news|author=Summers, Nick|date=March 20, 2014|title=Twitter is testing one-tap video playback across its mobile apps for Amplify partner clips|url=https://thenextweb.com/twitter/2014/03/20/twitter-testing-one-tap-video-playback-across-mobile-apps-amplify-partner-clips/|work=The Next Web|access-date=May 26, 2014}}</ref>
 
In June 2014, Twitter acquired its Amplify partner in the U.S., SnappyTV.<ref>{{cite news|author=Bradwell, Jason|date=July 2, 2014|title=Why Did Twitter Buy SnappyTV? Grabyo Reaction|url=http://www.vodprofessional.com/features/why-did-twitter-buy-snappytv-grabyo-reaction/|work=VOD Professional|access-date=August 28, 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140828202420/http://www.vodprofessional.com/features/why-did-twitter-buy-snappytv-grabyo-reaction/|archive-date=August 28, 2014}}</ref> In Europe, Twitter's Amplify partner is London-based [[Grabyo]], which has also struck numerous deals with broadcasters and rights holders<ref name="Sawers">{{cite news |author=Sawers, Paul |date=June 19, 2014 |title=Twitter's evolution as a broadcasting platform continues as it acquires live-TV clipping service SnappyTV |work=The Next Web |url=https://thenextweb.com/twitter/2014/06/19/twitter-acquires-live-tv-clipping-platform-snappytv/ |access-date=August 28, 2014}}</ref> to share video content across [[Facebook]] and Twitter.<ref>{{cite news|author=Sawyers, Paul|date=June 10, 2014|title=Wimbledon 'near-live' highlights will be broadcast globally across Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and YouTube|url=https://thenextweb.com/media/2014/06/10/grabyo-wimbledon/|work=TNW|access-date=June 12, 2014}}</ref> In July 2017, Twitter announced that it would wind down SnappyTV as a separate company, and integrate its features into the Media Studio suite on Twitter.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://techcrunch.com/2017/07/25/twitter-confirms-it-is-winding-down-snappytv-shifting-features-to-media-studio/?ncid=rss|title=Twitter confirms it is winding down SnappyTV, shifting features to Media Studio |work=TechCrunch|last=Lunden|first=Ingrid|access-date=July 25, 2017}}</ref>
 
==Statistics==
=== User accounts with large follower base ===
{{Main|List of most-followed Twitter accounts}}
{{as of|2022|06|8}}, the ten Twitter accounts with the most followers were:<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://socialblade.com/twitter/top/10|title=TOP 10 MOST FOLLOWED TWITTER ACCOUNTS (SORTED BY FOLLOWERS COUNT)|website=socialblade.com|access-date=June 8, 2022}}</ref>
 
{|class="wikitable sortable"
! Rank
! class="unsortable" | Change <br /> (monthly)
! Account name
! Owner
! Followers <br /> (millions)
! Activity
! Country
|-
! align="center" | 1
| align=center | {{unchanged}}
| [[Barack Obama on social media|@BarackObama]]
| [[Barack Obama]]
| align=center | 132
| data-sort-value="President, former" | 44th [[President of the United States|U.S. president]]
|{{Flag|USA}}
|-
! align="center" | 2
| align=center | {{unchanged}}
| @justinbieber
| [[Justin Bieber]]
| align=center | 114
| [[Musician]]
|{{Flag|CAN}}
|-
! align="center" | 3
| align=center | {{unchanged}}
| @katyperry
| [[Katy Perry]]
| align=center | 108
| [[Musician]]
|{{Flag|USA}}
|-
! align="center" | 4
| align=center | {{unchanged}}
| @rihanna
| [[Rihanna]]
| align=center | 106
| [[Musician]] and [[Businessperson|businesswoman]]
|{{Flag|BAR}}
|-
! align="center" | 5
| align=center | {{unchanged}}
| @Cristiano
|[[Cristiano Ronaldo]]
| align="center" | 100
|[[Association football|Footballer]]
|{{Flag|POR}}
|-
! align="center" | 6
| align=center | {{up}}
| @elonmusk
| [[Elon Musk]]
| align=center | 97
| [[Business magnate]]
|{{Flag|USA}}
|-
! align="center" | 7
| align=center | {{down}}
| @taylorswift13
| [[Taylor Swift]]
| align=center | 90
| [[Musician]]
|{{Flag|USA}}
|-
! align="center" | 8
| align=center | {{unchanged}}
| @ladygaga
| [[Lady Gaga]]
| align="center" | 84
| [[Musician]] and [[Actor|actress]]
|{{Flag|USA}}
|-
! align="center" | 9
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| @narendramodi
| [[Narendra Modi]]
| align=center | 79
| [[Prime Minister of India]]
|{{Flag|IND}}
|-
! align="center" | 10
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| @TheEllenShow
| [[Ellen DeGeneres]]
| align=center | 77
| [[Comedian]] and [[Television presenter|television hostess]]
|{{Flag|USA}}
|}
 
===Record tweets===
{{Main|List of most-retweeted tweets}}
A [[selfie]] orchestrated by [[86th Academy Awards]] host [[Ellen DeGeneres]] during the March 2, 2014, broadcast was at the time the most retweeted image ever.<ref name="ellen_2014">{{cite news|title=Selfie at Oscars breaks retweet record|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-trending-26410106|work=[[BBC News]]|date=March 3, 2014|access-date=March 3, 2014}}</ref><ref name="ertw">{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/TheEllenShow/statuses/440322224407314432|title=If only Bradley's arm was longer. Best photo ever. #oscars|last=DeGeneres|first=Ellen|publisher=Twitter|date=March 2, 2014|access-date=March 3, 2014}}</ref> DeGeneres said she wanted to pay homage to [[Meryl Streep]]'s record 17 Oscar nominations by setting a new record with her, and invited other Oscar celebrities to join them. The resulting photo of twelve celebrities broke the previous retweet record within forty minutes, and was retweeted over 1.8&nbsp;million times in the first hour.<ref name="bbcrt">{{cite news|author=BBC Trending |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-trending-26410106 |title=#BBCtrending: Selfie at Oscars breaks retweet record |publisher=Bbc.com |date=March 3, 2014 |access-date=July 28, 2014|work=BBC News }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=March 3, 2014 |agency=Associated Press |url=http://www.theledger.com/article/20140303/ENT/140309799/1326?Title=Ellen-DeGeneres-Selfie-at-Oscars-Sets-Retweet-Record-Crashes-Twitter |title=Ellen DeGeneres' Selfie at Oscars Sets Retweet Record, Crashes Twitter |newspaper=The Ledger |access-date=March 3, 2014 |archive-date=March 3, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140303110006/http://www.theledger.com/article/20140303/ENT/140309799/1326?Title=Ellen-DeGeneres-Selfie-at-Oscars-Sets-Retweet-Record-Crashes-Twitter |url-status=dead }}<!-- Pictured: [[Jared Leto]], [[Jennifer Lawrence]], [[Meryl Streep]], [[Ellen DeGeneres]], [[Bradley Cooper]], [[Peter Nyong'o Jr.]], and, second row, from left, [[Channing Tatum]], [[Julia Roberts]], [[Kevin Spacey]], [[Brad Pitt]], [[Lupita Nyong'o]] and [[Angelina Jolie]].--></ref><ref name="latos">{{cite news |last=Hubbard |first=Amy |date=March 2, 2014 |title=Oscars 2014, the year of the selfie: Ellen tweet grabs retweet record |work=Los Angeles Times |url=https://latimes.com/nation/shareitnow/la-sh-most-retweeted-twitter-ellen-oscar-selfie-0140302,0,6042820.story |access-date=October 7, 2014}}</ref> By the end of the ceremony it had been retweeted over 2&nbsp;million times; less than 24 hours later, it had been retweeted over 2.8&nbsp;million times.<ref name=ertw /><ref name=bbcrt /> {{As of|2014|March|18}}, it has been retweeted over 3.4&nbsp;million times.<ref name=ertw /> On May 9, 2017, Ellen's record was broken by Carter Wilkerson (@carterjwm) by collecting nearly 3.5&nbsp;million retweets in a little over a month.<ref>{{cite tweet|number=862098695357046784|user=Twitter|title=@carterjwm 👆 It’s official. Carter, your Tweet is the most Retweeted of all time. #NuggsForCarter<!-- full text of tweet that Twitter returned to the bot (excluding links) added by TweetCiteBot. This may be better truncated or may need expanding (TW limits responses to 140 characters) or case changes. --> |access-date=May 9, 2017|date=May 10, 2017}}</ref>{{Update inline|date=May 2022|reason=Main articles lists tweets which have broken the records}}
 
The most tweeted moment in the history of Twitter occurred on August 2, 2013; during a Japanese television airing of the [[Studio Ghibli]] film ''[[Castle in the Sky]]'', fans simultaneously tweeted the word {{Nihongo|''balse''|バルス}}—the incantation for a destruction spell used during its climax, after it was uttered in the film. There was a global peak of 143,199 tweets in one second, beating the previous record of 33,388.<ref>{{cite web|last=Oremus |first=Will |url=http://www.slate.com/blogs/future_tense/2013/08/19/balse_festival_japan_castle_in_the_sky_airing_breaks_twitter_record_for.html |title=Balse Festival: Japan "Castle in the Sky" airing breaks Twitter record for tweets per second |magazine=Slate |date=August 19, 2013 |access-date=June 26, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://kotaku.com/5868320/how-an-old-japanese-anime-broke-twitter-records/|title=How an Old Japanese Anime Broke a Twitter Record|last=Ashcraft|first=Brian|work=Kotaku|access-date=August 31, 2018|language=en-US}}</ref>
 
The most discussed event in Twitter history occurred on October 24, 2015; the hashtag ("#ALDubEBTamangPanahon") for ''[[Tamang Panahon]]'', a live special episode of the Filipino variety show ''[[Eat Bulaga!]]'' at the [[Philippine Arena]], centering on its popular on-air couple [[AlDub]], attracted 41&nbsp;million tweets.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://twitter.com/TwitterData/status/658724283011735552 |title=Fans in the Philippines & around the world sent 41M Tweets mentioning #ALDubEBTamangPanahon |date=October 27, 2015 |access-date=October 30, 2015 |work=Twitter Data Verified Account}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Mendoza |first=Arvin |url=http://entertainment.inquirer.net/181811/aldub-breaks-fifa-world-cups-twitter-record |title='AlDub' breaks FIFA World Cup's Twitter record |date=October 25, 2015 |access-date=October 25, 2015 |work=Philippine Daily Inquirer}}</ref> The most-discussed sporting event in Twitter history was the [[Brazil v Germany (2014 FIFA World Cup)|2014 FIFA World Cup semi-final]] between Brazil and Germany on July 8, 2014.<ref>{{cite news |last=Tomchak |first=Anne-Marie |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-trending-28226010 |title=#BBCtrending: Brazil's World Cup thrashing breaks Twitter records |date=July 9, 2014 |access-date=July 9, 2014 |work=BBC Online}}</ref>
 
According to ''[[Guinness World Records]]'', the fastest pace to a million followers was set by actor [[Robert Downey Jr.]] in 23 hours and 22 minutes in April 2014.<ref>{{cite news |date=April 12, 2014 |title=Fastest time to reach one million followers on Twitter |work=[[Guinness World Records]] |url=http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/fastest-time-to-reach-1-million-followers-on-twitter |access-date=May 19, 2015}}</ref> This record was later broken by [[Caitlyn Jenner]], who joined the site on June 1, 2015, and amassed a million followers in just 4 hours and 3 minutes.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Parkinson |first=Hannah Jane |date=June 2, 2015 |title=Caitlyn Jenner smashes Twitter world record, reaching a million followers |url=http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/jun/02/caitlyn-jenner-twitter-record-million-followers-vanity-fair |access-date=2022-05-20 |website=the Guardian |language=en}}</ref>
 
== See also ==
* [[Ambient awareness]]
* [[Breaking Tweets]]
* [[Comparison of microblogging services]]
* [[Timeline of social media]]
* [[Twitterature]]
 
== Notes ==
{{notelist}}


== References ==
== References ==
{{Reflist|refs=
{{reflist}}
<ref name="Twitter_500">{{cite web|url=https://techcrunch.com/2012/07/30/analyst-twitter-passed-500m-users-in-june-2012-140m-of-them-in-us-jakarta-biggest-tweeting-city/|title=Twitter Passed 500M Users In June 2012, 140M Of Them In US; Jakarta 'Biggest Tweeting' City|work=[[TechCrunch]]|date=July 30, 2012}}</ref>
}}
 
== Further reading ==
* {{cite book|last=Fitton|first=Laura|title=Twitter for Dummies|year=2009|publisher=Wiley Publishing|location=Hoboken, NJ|isbn=9780470479919|author2=Gruen, Michael E.|author3=Poston, Leslie|author4=foreword by Jack Dorsey|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/twitterfordummie00fitt}}
* [https://yalebooks.yale.edu/book/9780300215120/twitter-and-tear-gas Tufekci, Zeynep. 2017. ''Twitter and Tear Gas: The Power and Fragility of Networked Protest''. Yale University Press.]


== External links ==
== External links ==
{{Sister project links|auto=1|wikt=Twitter|d=y}}
* {{Official website}}; [https://blog.twitter.com Official blog]
{{Scholia|topic}}
* {{Official website|https://twitter.com/|mobile=https://mobile.twitter.com/}}
* {{Onion URL|twitter3e4tixl4xyajtrzo62zg5vztmjuricljdp2c5kshju4avyoid}}
{{Twitter navbox|state=expanded}}
{{Navboxes
|list=
{{Microblogging}}
{{Online social networking}}
{{Censorship and websites}}
}}
{{Authority control|state=expanded}}


[[Category:Twitter| ]]
[[Category:2006 establishments in the United States]]
[[Category:American social networking mobile apps]]
[[Category:Companies based in San Francisco]]
[[Category:2006 establishments in California]]
[[Category:Social networking]]
[[Category:2006 in San Francisco]]
[[Category:American software companies]]
[[Category:American social networking websites]]
[[Category:Websites]]
[[Category:Android (operating system) software]]
[[Category:Internet properties established in 2006]]
[[Category:IOS software]]
[[Category:MacOS software]]
[[Category:Microblogging services]]
[[Category:Multilingual websites]]
[[Category:Proprietary cross-platform software]]
[[Category:Real-time web]]
[[Category:Text messaging]]
[[Category:Universal Windows Platform apps]]
[[Category:WatchOS software]]
[[Category:Elon Musk]]
[[Category:Tor onion services]]

Revision as of 08:21, 28 October 2022

Twitter, Inc.
IndustryWebsites
FoundedSan Francisco, California, United States
Founder(s)Jack Dorsey
Evan Williams
Biz Stone
Headquarters
795 Folsom St., Suite 600, San Francisco, CA 94107
,
United States[1]
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
Elon Musk (Owner)
Jack Dorsey (Chairman)
Dick Costolo (CEO)
Evan Williams (Product Strategy)
Biz Stone (Creative Director)
Productstwitter.com
ServicesSocial networking, Microblogging
RevenueIncrease US $5.081 billion (2021)[2]
Number of employees
7,500 (2021)[3]
Websitetwitter.com

Twitter is a social networking and microblogging service. Users use any device with an internet connection and a web browser to send and to read messages, called "tweets". For years, tweets could be up to 140 characters long, then doubled in November 2017 to 280 characters.[4] They appear on the user's profile page. Tweets can usually be read by anyone, but senders can also keep messages private. Private tweets only go to their list of friends. Users may subscribe to tweets from other people. This is called following, and subscribers are known as followers. As of late 2009, users can also follow lists of authors.[5][6]

All users can send and receive tweets using the Twitter website. They can also use other applications that work with Twitter on smartphones. Twitter by Short Message Service (SMS) is available in certain countries.[7] Using Twitter is free, but sending or getting tweets by SMS may cost money. The website is based in San Francisco, California. Twitter also has servers and offices in San Antonio, Texas and Boston, Massachusetts, and soon in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Twitter has become very popular worldwide since Jack Dorsey created it in 2006. It now has more than 126 million users.[8] It is sometimes described as the "SMS of the Internet."[9]

On April 25, 2022, the Twitter board of directors agreed to Elon Musk's USD $44 billion offer to buy the company.[10] On October 27, 2022, Elon Musk took control of the company and fired CEO Parag Agarwal along with other top executives.[11]

History

Jack Dorsey's drawing of an idea for an SMS-based social network in around 2006.

Twitter started at a podcasting company Odeo. The company board members had a "daylong brainstorming session." During the meeting, Jack Dorsey introduced the idea of one person using an SMS service to communicate with a small group. At first, they called this project "twttr". It fit the five-character length of American SMS short codes and sounded like "Flickr". At first, the developers planned to use "10958" as a short code. Later they changed it to "40404" because it was easier to remember and type.[12] Dorsey sent the first Twitter message at 9:50 PM Pacific Standard Time (PST) March 21, 2006. The first tweet was, "just setting up my twttr."[13][4]

[W]e came across the word "twitter," and it was just perfect. The definition was "a short burst of inconsequential information," and "chirps from birds." And that’s exactly what the product was.

— Jack Dorsey[14]

The first version of Twitter was only for Odeo employees to use. They opened the full version for anyone to use on July 15, 2006. In October 2006, Biz Stone, Evan Williams, Dorsey, and other members of Odeo started a new company called Obvious Corporation. Obvious Corporation bought Odeo and all of its property–including Odeo.com and Twitter.com–from the investors and shareholders.[15] Twitter became its own separate company in April 2007.[16]

Twitter started becoming very popular after the 2007 South by Southwest (SXSW) festival. During the event, Twitter usage increased from 20,000 tweets per day to 60,000.[17] The Twitter company set up two very large computer screens in the hallways at the conference. These screens only showed Twitter messages. Hundreds of people at the conference checked on what each other were doing by looking at the many tweets. Panelists and speakers talked about Twitter. Bloggers at SXSW described it to others in a very positive way.[18]

Reaction at the festival was very good. Blogger Scott Beale said that Twitter "absolutely rul[ed]" SXSW. Social software researcher Danah Boyd said Twitter "own[ed]" the festival.[19] Twitter staff won the festival's Web Award prize. They said, "we'd like to thank you in 140 characters or less. And we just did!"[20]

Previous Twitter logo, used until September 14, 2010.

On September 14, 2010, Twitter changed the site design and added a new logo.[21]

On October 4, 2010, Evan Williams announced that he would not be CEO any more. Dick Costolo became the new CEO. He had been COO of Twitter. Williams will stay with the company and work on plans for the future of Twitter.[22]

In April 2022, Elon Musk became the company's owner after buying it for USD $44 billion.[10]

Overview

Technology author Steven Johnson described the basic way Twitter works. He called it "remarkably simple." Following is an important part of Twitter as a social network. Users' Twitter home pages show all of the tweets from people they follow. The tweets appear from newest to oldest. Johnson said:[23]

If you follow 20 people, you'll see a mix of tweets moving down the page: breakfast-cereal updates, interesting new links, music recommendations, even thoughts on the future of education.

People who use Twitter

Twitter is mainly used by older adults who might not have used other social sites before Twitter. Jeremiah Owyang studies social media. He said, "Adults are just catching up to what teens have been doing for years."[24] Only 11% of Twitter's users were 12 to 17 years old in September 2009.[24] This may be because Twitter first gained popularity in businesses and news media that attract more older people. Many famous people such as Shaq, Britney Spears, and Ashton Kutcher are Twitter users.[25]

In June 2009, more women than men used Twitter—53% women; 47% men. Only 5% of users made 75% of all tweets. Also, New York City had the most Twitter users.[26]

This is a brief summary of Twitter users as of 3 September 2009.

  • Total users: 27 million
  • Age: 63% of Twitter users were less than 35 years old
  • Race: 60% of Twitter users were Caucasian. 16% were African American. That is higher than other Internet sites. Hispanic users were 11%.
  • Income: 58% of Twitter users had a total household income of at least $60K.[27]

Popularity

Twitter is one of the 10 most visited websites in the world.[28]

Logging in

People can use software from other companies to access Twitter. These programs are called third-party applications. The Twitter company changed the way this works on 31 August 2010. Now applications must use OAuth to connect to Twitter. This method means that users do not have to give their passwords to the third-party applications. Changing the login system to OAuth did cause some problems. Using OAuth had been optional and programs used to be able to ask for usernames and passwords. However, now third-party applications that try to use a username and password do not work at all. The Twitter company said that using OAuth will give users "increased security and a better experience."[29]

Technology

Interface

On April 30, 2009, Twitter changed the way it looks on the web. They added a search bar and a space on the right side of the page with "Trending Topics". That space shows the most common phrases appearing in messages. Biz Stone explained that all messages are instantly indexed and explained the results of the change. The Trending Topics has made Twitter something "unexpectedly important — a discovery engine for finding out what is happening right now."[30]

Service problems

Sometimes Twitter users experience a problem with the service and cannot access the website. They cannot read or write tweets but only see the Fail Whale image created by Yiying Lu,[31]

Twitter worked well approximately 98% of the time in 2007. That is about six full days of no service.[32] The problems were particularly noticeable during events popular with the technology industry such as the 2008 Macworld Conference & Expo keynote address.[33][34]

  • May 2008, Twitter's new engineering team made changes to the structure of Twitter to handle the amount of growth. Problems with stability caused the service to stop working sometimes and forced Twitter to cancel some features for a short time.
  • August 2008, Twitter stopped free SMS services for users in the United Kingdom[35] and for approximately five months instant messaging support via a XMPP bot was listed as being "temporarily unavailable".[36]
  • June 12, 2009, there was a serious problem with the unique number that identifies each tweet. This was called a possible "Twitpocalypse". (This is a combination of Twitter and apocalypse). The number that labels each tweet went beyond the limit of 32-bit signed integers. That limit was 2,147,483,647 messages.[37] While Twitter itself was not affected, some third-party clients could not access recent tweets. Software developers made Patches quickly. However, some iPhone applications had to wait for approval from the App Store.[38]
  • September 22, 2009, the identifier went past the limit for 32-bit unsigned integers (4,294,967,296 total messages). This broke some third-party applications again.[39]
  • August 6, 2009, Twitter and Facebook both suffered a denial-of-service attack. This stopped the Twitter website from working for several hours.[40] The attacks were actually directed at one pro-Georgian user around the anniversary of the 2008 South Ossetia War, rather than the sites themselves.[41]
  • December 17, 2009, a hacking attack replaced the website's welcoming screen for almost one hour. Users saw an image of a green flag and the words "This site has been hacked by Iranian Cyber Army". So far there is no proof of any connection between the hackers and the government of Iran.[42]

Open source

Twitter developed several software projects to improve their own service. The company shared these as open source software.[43] Some of these software projects are related to databases, such as the Gizzard Scala framework and a distributed graph database called FlockDB.

t.co

t.co is a service created by Twitter to make URLs shorter.[44] It can only be used for links that people post to Twitter. It is not available for other uses.[44] Eventually all links on Twitter will use t.co.[45] The company hopes that the service will protect users from harmful websites.[44] They will also use it to keep a record of people clicking on links in tweets.[44][46]

History

Twitter logo

Twitter had used the services from other sites such as TinyURL and bit.ly.[47] They began trying their own way of making URLs shorter for direct messages in March 2010. They used the domain, twt.tl,[45] before they bought the t.co domain.

The company is using these accounts to test the service on the main site: @TwitterAPI, @rsarver, and @raffi.[45]

On September 2, 2010, Twitter sent an email message to users to explain that they were starting to open the service to them.

Other

Twitter can also be used as an amateur and professional news source.[48]

Related pages

References

  1. ↑ "Contact Us". Archived from the original on 2012-03-11. Retrieved 2017-08-31.
  2. ↑ Claire Cain Miller, Brad Stone (July 15, 2009). "Hacker Exposes Private Twitter Documents". The New York Times. Retrieved July 15, 2009.
  3. ↑ "Press Info", Twitter. Retrieved May 27, 2010.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Kurt Wagner (Nov 7, 2017). "Twitter is giving everyone longer tweets, but you probably won't use them". Those 280-character tweets are here to stay. Retrieved 2019-03-15.
  5. ↑ "There's a List for That". blog.twitter.com. October 30, 2009. Retrieved February 1, 2010.
  6. ↑ "Twitter Lists!". help.twitter.com. November 9, 2009. Archived from the original on December 22, 2009. Retrieved February 1, 2010.
  7. ↑ "Using Twitter With Your Phone". Twitter Support. Archived from the original on 2010-03-15. Retrieved 2010-06-01. We currently support 2-way (sending and receiving) Twitter SMS via short codes and 1-way (sending only) via long codes.
  8. ↑ "Twitter snags over 100 million users, eyes money-making". Archived from the original on April 18, 2010. Retrieved April 15, 2010.
  9. ↑ D'Monte, Leslie (April 29, 2009). "Swine flu's tweet tweet causes online flutter". Business Standard India. Business Standard. Retrieved May 28, 2009. Also known as the 'SMS of the internet', Twitter is a free social networking and micro-blogging service
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Feiner, Lauren (2022-04-25). "Twitter accepts Elon Musk's buyout deal". CNBC. Retrieved 2022-04-25.
  11. ↑ Duffy, Donie O'Sullivan and Clare (2022-10-27). "Elon Musk has taken control of Twitter and fired its top executives". CP24. Retrieved 2022-10-28.
  12. ↑ Sagolla, Dom (January 30, 2009). "How Twitter Was Born". 140 Characters. Retrieved June 25, 2009.
  13. ↑ Dorsey, Jack (2006). "just setting up my twttr". Twitter. Retrieved June 19, 2009.
  14. ↑ Sano, David (February 18, 2009). "Twitter creator Jack Dorsey illuminates the site's founding document". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 18, 2009.
  15. ↑ Malik, Om (October 25, 2006). "Odeo RIP, Hello Obvious Corp". GigaOM. Retrieved June 20, 2009.
  16. ↑ Lennon, Andrew. "A Conversation With Twitter Co-Founder Jack Dorsey". The Daily Anchor. Archived from the original on July 27, 2009. Retrieved June 20, 2009.
  17. ↑ Douglas, Nick (March 12, 2007). "Twitter blows up at SXSW Conference". Gawker. Archived from the original on November 13, 2010. Retrieved June 20, 2009.
  18. ↑ Levy, Steven (April 30, 2007). "Twitter: Is Brevity The Next Big Thing". Newsweek. Retrieved June 20, 2009.
  19. ↑ Terdiman, Daniel (March 10, 2007). "To Twitter or Dodgeball at SXSW?". CNET. Archived from the original on December 3, 2013. Retrieved June 20, 2009.
  20. ↑ Stone, Biz (March 14, 2007). "We Won!". Twitter. Retrieved May 7, 2008.
  21. ↑ Cashmore, Pete (September 16, 2010). "'New Twitter' shows the Web isn't dead". CNN. Retrieved September 16, 2010.
  22. ↑ "#newtwitterceo". blog.twitter.com. October 4, 2010. Retrieved 6 October 2010.
  23. ↑ "How Twitter Will Change the Way We Live". Time. June 5, 2009. Archived from the original on 16 October 2010. Retrieved 23 October 2010.
  24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 Miller, Claire Cain (August 25, 2009). "Who's Driving Twitter's Popularity? Not Teens". The New York Times. Retrieved September 18, 2009.
  25. ↑ Lipsman, Andrew (September 2, 2009). "What Ashton vs. CNN Foretold about the Changing Demographics of Twitter". comScore. Archived from the original on September 7, 2009. Retrieved September 18, 2009.
  26. ↑ Cheng, Alex; Evans, Mark (June 2009). "An In-Depth Look Inside the Twitter World". Retrieved June 17, 2010.
  27. ↑ Bluff Brian (May 2010). "Who Uses Twitter?". Archived from the original on May 31, 2010. Retrieved Sep 22, 2010.
  28. ↑ "Twitter.com – Traffic Details from Alexa". Alexa Internet. August 26, 2010. Archived from the original on November 4, 2019. Retrieved August 26, 2010.
  29. ↑ "Twitter Applications and OAuth". Twitter. August 30, 2010. Retrieved Sep 13, 2010.
  30. ↑ Stone, Biz (April 30, 2009). "Twitter Search for Everyone!". Twitter. Retrieved May 7, 2008.
  31. ↑ Walker, Rob (February 15, 2009). "Fail Whale". Consumed. New York Times Magazine. p. 17. Retrieved February 15, 2009.
  32. ↑ "Twitter growing pains cause lots of downtime in 2007". Pingdom. December 19, 2007. Archived from the original on December 29, 2010. Retrieved June 17, 2009.
  33. ↑ Dorsey, Jack (January 15, 2008). "MacWorld". Twitter. Retrieved May 7, 2008.
  34. ↑ Kuramoto, Jake (January 15, 2008). "MacWorld Brings Twitter to its Knees". Oracle AppsLab. Retrieved May 7, 2008.
  35. ↑ "Changes for Some SMS Users—Good and Bad News". Twitter (blog). August 13, 2008. Retrieved June 14, 2009.
  36. ↑ Dorsey, Jack (May 23, 2008). "Twitter IM down May 23rd–May 24th". Get Satisfaction. Archived from the original on July 29, 2008. Retrieved July 29, 2008.
  37. ↑ Siegler, MG (June 12, 2009). "Twitter Moves Up The Twitpocalypse. All Hell May Break Loose Today". TechCrunch. Retrieved July 18, 2009.
  38. ↑ O'Brien, John (June 24, 2009). "The age of the Twitpocalypse". news.com.au. News Limited. Archived from the original on July 11, 2009. Retrieved July 13, 2009.
  39. ↑ Parr, Ben (September 21, 2009). "Twitpocalypse II: Twitter Apps Might Break Tomorrow". Mashable. Retrieved September 23, 2009.
  40. ↑ Claburn, Thomas (August 6, 2009). "Twitter Downed By Denial Of Service Attack". InformationWeek. Archived from the original on August 8, 2009. Retrieved August 6, 2009.
  41. ↑ "Web attack 'aimed at one blogger'". BBC News. August 7, 2009. Retrieved August 7, 2009.
  42. ↑ "CNN: Twitter attacked". Edition.cnn.com. December 18, 2009. Retrieved March 28, 2010.
  43. ↑ "Twitter / OpenSource". Twitter.com. Archived from the original on 2010-06-02. Retrieved 2010-06-01.
  44. ↑ 44.0 44.1 44.2 44.3 "About Twitter's Link Service (http://t.co)". Archived from the original on 2011-02-25. Retrieved 2010-09-03. {{cite web}}: External link in |title= (help)
  45. ↑ 45.0 45.1 45.2 "Twitter Blog: Links and Twitter: Length Shouldn't Matter". Retrieved 2010-09-03.
  46. ↑ "Twitter tightens grip on own firehose". The Register. Retrieved 2010-09-03.
  47. ↑ "Twitter Switches From TinyURL To Bit.ly". Business Insider. Retrieved 2010-09-05.
  48. ↑ "I Can't Believe Some People Are Still Saying Twitter Isn't a News Source". TechCrunch. Retrieved 2009-10-21.

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