Today is the day that Twitter users have been waiting what seems like an entirety for: photos, videos, GIFs, polls, and quote tweets are no longer counted in the 140 character limit.
Twitter announced this intention back in May, but as of yesterday users are beginning to see that it has been rolled out.
Say more about what’s happening! Rolling out now: photos, videos, GIFs, polls, and Quote Tweets no longer count toward your 140 characters. pic.twitter.com/I9pUC0NdZC
— Twitter (@twitter) September 19, 2016
The move appears to be a way of encouraging users to make Tweets more engaging, while keeping the 140 character limit that has been a staple of the platform since its launch.
Back in February Twitter made it easier for users to include animate GIFs by partnering with GIPHY and Tenor (previously known as Riffsy) to launch GIF search, enabling users to search for an animated GIF that captures their mood via keyword or via categories.
What wasn’t mentioned in Twitter’s tweet I s that the company is also testing changes with replies such as no longer counting @names towards the character count. In May, Twitter announced it was removing the pesky “.@” convention, but now it looks like the service is going further to add more text to your tweet. Despite this though links currently remain part of the Twitter count.
The changes will delight many Twitter fans, with many already being vocal to Tweet their delight and true to form of the Internet, what they want next!
At DareDevil we’d love to see an “edit Tweet” option!
