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Twitter's New Character Limit Has Prompted Some Comedy Responses

This is why we love Twitter.
Sarah Ann Harris
By 

News Reporter, HuffPost UK

Social media exploded on Tuesday night when Twitter announced it would be doubling the limit of its tweets to 280 characters.

In a lengthy tweet, CEO Jack Dorsey explained the initial 140 character limit was an arbitrary decision in the first place:

This is a small change, but a big move for us. 140 was an arbitrary choice based on the 160 character SMS limit. Proud of how thoughtful the team has been in solving a real problem people have when trying to tweet. And at the same time maintaining our brevity, speed, and essence! https://t.co/TuHj51MsTu

— jack (@jack) September 26, 2017

Some users have already found they are able to send out longer tweets under the new trial.

But despite Twitter’s insistence that the change would be a good thing, many seemed unconvinced by the change.

And, of course, where there’s unhappiness, there’s often recourse to comedy and sarkiness.

Take it away Twitter!

ZING

139 characters pic.twitter.com/WkfdXL8oLh

— Caitlin Kelly (@caitlin__kelly) September 26, 2017

It’s a real skill

literally my only talent was being able to think of tweets exactly 140 characters long. i don't know if I will be able to alter this to 280.

— christine teigen (@chrissyteigen) September 26, 2017

Some got creative

*Twitter is introducing #280characters limits*

Me:

N
O
O
o
o
o
o
。
。
.

😭

— 乃ongo 乃oy🐟 (@Ajaharoczz) September 27, 2017

Thank God the Mother of Dragons doesn’t tweet

140+140 =280. Now I know why twitter is introducing #280characters limit pic.twitter.com/kPmkZHIs8h

— Aakash (@PUNchayati) September 27, 2017

This person makes a very good point

The only difference between a @realDonaldTrump tweet of #140Characters and one of #280characters: pic.twitter.com/FJPFSuwWAp

— Mrs. Betty Bowers (@BettyBowers) September 27, 2017

This joke cropped up rather a lot

I’m so excited to be part of @Twitter’s #280characters rollout. Let me just say it’s an honor and a privilege. I’d like to thank my wonderf

— Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) September 27, 2017

For me, personally, I dont like the planned #twitter280. 140 characters has always been more than enough for me to happily get my point acro

— Mr Geldard (@MrJGeldard) September 27, 2017

Why haven't I been given 280 characters? I have so many important, cogent, era-defining things to say and so little space in which to say th

— Jay Rayner (@jayrayner1) September 27, 2017

This isn't sour grapes for not being granted #280characters but if you can't make your point in 140 characters or less then you must be an

— Will Black (@WillBlackWriter) September 27, 2017

See, there *are* some up sides

Well at least I can stop deleting the word "fuck" to make space. #280Characters

— ☀️Imani Gandy☀️ (@AngryBlackLady) September 26, 2017

Others seemed less optimistic

Pic1: 140 characters
Pic2: #280characters pic.twitter.com/LsdgknVV7o

— 🍎Tuti Fruti🍎 (@oyhoay) September 27, 2017

Some pondered quite why Twitter was doing this

Twitter: Users want to be able to edit tweets

Inner Twitter: Give them #280characters so they make more typos pic.twitter.com/gfLSF8ZrtL

— Dom Stirling (@domstirling12) September 26, 2017

Twitter: 'what do you like about us?'
'Brevity.'
'what do you hate?'
'Nazis, Trolls, replies format.'
'We hear you. More characters then?'

— John Niven (@NivenJ1) September 27, 2017

Fair point

If there's one thing Lost taught us it's that you can't fix a broken, chaotic mess by doubling the amount of characters #280Characters

— Gav (@miracleofsound) September 26, 2017

It really is what kills a good thing

Twitter is suffering what most shows do in their later seasons by introducing a bunch of characters no one really cares about

— The Stephen Harper (@stephenaharper) September 27, 2017

If Ron Swanson had Twitter

All of the #twitter280 users rn pic.twitter.com/IFipL21dEY

— David Lindburg (@DavidLindburg) September 27, 2017

In short

TL:DR - tl:dr https://t.co/KbzzkudWh4

— Chris York (@ChrisDYork) September 27, 2017
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