The Origin of the Twitter Bird and the 140 Character Limit

Summary

In this article, we will delve into the origins of the Twitter bird’s name, Larry Bird, and the character limit of 140 characters. We will also discuss the increase in character limit and the option to link tweets together in a thread. We will touch on the importance of reporting suspicious accounts and the possibility of Twitter being regulated. Lastly, we will explore the lack of an edit button and the potential for a dislike button.

The Twitter Bird and 140 Character Limit

Jack Dorsey, co-founder of Twitter, explains that the Twitter bird was named after Larry Bird, a former professional basketball player. The character limit of 140 characters was inspired by the constraint of fitting in one text message. However, Twitter has since increased the character limit to 280 characters and also offers the option to link tweets together in a thread.

Reporting Suspicious Accounts and Regulation

Dorsey advises users to be skeptical of suspicious accounts and to report them through the reporting flow. He also discusses the possibility of Twitter being regulated.

Lack of an Edit Button and the Potential for a Dislike Button

The lack of an edit button was originally omitted to preserve the feeling of sending a text message but may be considered in the future with certain limitations. Instead of an edit feature, Twitter should allow users to see how many times a tweet link has been copied. The speaker will look into the possibility of a dislike button.

Following Topics and Creating a Close Friend List

Dorsey explains how Twitter’s machine learning and deep learning algorithms help determine the most interesting topics for users to follow. He recommends following #birdwatching and #weather. He also discusses the possibility of using regular expressions on muted tweets and the potential for creating a close friend list.

The Verification Process and User Data

The terms of service state that users retain their rights to any content they submit. The speaker also discusses the verification process for getting a blue check mark on Twitter. Twitter does not sell user data but matches interests with advertisers.

Decentralizing Twitter and Abandoned Twitter Handles

Dorsey expresses excitement about the potential for decentralizing Twitter. He also addresses a question about claiming an abandoned Twitter handle and signs off with a positive message.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Jack Dorsey, the CEO of Twitter, answered various user questions and suggestions. He shed light on the origins of the Twitter bird’s name and the character limit. He emphasized the importance of reporting suspicious accounts and discussed the possibility of Twitter being regulated. He also touched on the lack of an edit button and the potential for a dislike button. Lastly, he expressed excitement about the potential for decentralizing Twitter and signed off with a positive message.