Twitter, the social network known for forcing its users to express themselves concisely, began its latest attempt at reinvention with a post from its chief executive that was about 10 times longer than the average tweet. What if, Jack Dorsey tweeted, users could post up to 10,000 characters instead of the current defining limit of 140? As Mr Dorsey hoped, all hell has broken loose in the Twittersphere about whether this would rip the heart and purpose out of the social network.
● Sebastian Payne: Dorsey risks destroying his social network
Twitter is one of the great communication tools of the 21st century. It is influential and, crucially, fast and accessible. But like all technology and media companies, Twitter is in a state of permanent revolution as it struggles to find new users and make money. To what end? In their efforts, Dorsey and co should remember that their platform’s uniqueness lies in its limitations.