Twitter

Twitter has become a cultural icon since being introduced in 2006. Even President Donald Trump of the United States has gained notoriety for his use of Twitter. Users of the platform are able to send "tweets" which can be no longer than 280 characters. This is double the original limit of 140 characters. In some Asian languages, 140 characters remains the standard. Twitter is very simple and straightforward to use. Individuals can create a free account, set up a profile, and begin sending tweets in a matter of minutes. The main feed of the Twitter website includes a link to compose new tweets, and this can also be accomplished from a user's profile page. Twitter profiles can be customized with photos and headers. Users are also able to follow other Twitter users. Many famous people use the platform to communicate with the masses. Twitter has also become a source for news. During the 2016 United States election, more than 40 million tweets were sent about election results. One of the reasons Twitter is so popular in this regard is that breaking news can be conveyed immediately. It can often be tweeted faster than it can be reported by major news outlets. It is also possible to share videos and photos with Twitter. Users can also link their Twitter account to other social media platforms like Facebook and cross-share posts. The platform has also been used as a marketing tool by those who want to promote various services. One downside of Twitter has always been its restriction of posts to a certain number of characters, but this is the whole point. The website has also come under attack by hackers in the past, but the company always acts quickly to dispatch such threats.

This piece is a year old; it looks as though there has been no update. Shame, as it needs to be made known what has happened to Twitter very recently. Twitter has changed radically, & not for the better! Gone are the lists of your followers, & who you follow. Gone are the links to translations for tweets in a foreign language. Gone is the choice of colour you made for your headings.... Instead there is a constant barrage of promoted adverts! Also gone (into hiding presumably) is Twitter 'Support'. It does not even respond to requests for protection against being bombarded by ads! The new Twitter is an epic fail!!