Since SpaceX Founder Elon Musk’s highly publicized takeover of the platform, Twitter has undergone some significant changes.
The controversial Twitter Blue feature grabbed the biggest headlines, with the new subscription-based verification symbol met with backlash from all sides.
Twitter is what’s known as a micro-blogging site. It gives users a limited number of characters to use per post, which makes it perfect for short, punchy, and impactful statements.
The short-form nature of the platform has been one of the driving factors behind its success. Users appreciate the casualness and accessibility it affords them.
Originally, Twitter users were limited to 140 characters, which the company then increased to 280 in 2017. This decision was met with criticism, but at the end of the day, it didn’t make a massive difference to how the platform functioned.
However, Musk demonstrated his willingness to go against the grain earlier this year, allowing Twitter Blue subscribers to post Tweets of up to 4,000 characters.
Rather than fold in the face of mounting criticism, Musk has doubled down, recently confirming that this limit is set to be increased to 10,000 characters, allowing for long-form posts never before seen on the platform.
Musk has long bemoaned Twitter’s financial struggles, and this move could be seen as a further attempt to increase Twitter Blue subscriber numbers, drive engagement, and open up new monetization opportunities.
However, it could also be seen as a reflection of Musk’s determination to mould Twitter in his own image and to put his stamp on the platform for better or for worse.
