The social media giant Twitter has announced that as of today the 140-character limit in Direct Message is already totally lifted in all platforms including the iOS, Android, TweetDeck, Twitter for Mac, and their website Twitter.com.
This move by Twitter is part of their strategy to cop up to the booming popularity of direct messaging apps such as Snapchat, KiK, and WhatsApp. Facebook developed their own direct messaging app called Messenger as a reaction to the success of messaging apps, but Twitter seems not to be interested in developing their own separate messaging app like Facebook.
Twitter has struggled to develop and advertise the use of their in-app direct messaging in the past. Twitter is known for its unique characteristics as a public forum, and the company was scared that the development of direct messaging will deter their main trait.
Last January 27, Twitter announced the availability of Group Direct Messaging. In the Group DM, Twitter users can create a group to have a private chat with, and add as many as 50 users. The group function can also add users from your followers, and group chat members can chat with each other even if they are not following each other. They can also share videos, GIFs, pictures, emojis, and tweets to the group.
Other changes were also made simultaneously with the lift of the 140-character limit in Direct Messaging. These changes and updates includes:
- A setting that allows you to receive a Direct Message from anyone even if you are not a follower
- Reply to anyone who Direct Message you even if you are not following them
- And a new Direct Message Button in the profiles of the users so you can send Direct Message on iOS and Android.
The removal of the 140-character limit is for the Direct Message feature of Twitter only, and will not be applicable for public posts or tweets--thus, you will still have to summarize that thought.
