Twitter is going through a rough patch as the company struggles to increase its stagnant user base. In a bid to entice more users, Twitter has introduced a new set of rules to make it easier to tweet.
Earlier this year, the company announced its plan to simplify the process of tweeting. Now, Twitter has formally launched its new rules.
Twitter will not count pictures, GIFs, polls, Quote Tweets, and polls as part of the character limit of a tweet. However, links will still be considered as part of the character count.
According to Tech Crunch, Twitter delayed the launch of its new rules to provide developers enough time to adapt.
Twitter has also abandoned its ".@ " format. The change comes in response to a hack devised by users to bypass Twitter's restrictions regarding the tweets which may show up in a user's followers' Timelines. However, this change will be gradually rolled out to users.
Similarly, @mentions will not be considered part of the character count. The Financial Post quoted Rory Capern, managing director Twitter Canada, saying that: "We listen to our users very carefully, and it was clear that they wanted us to continue to make photos and videos easier to share."
Twitter was recently sued by some investors who claim that the company misled them about the growth of its user base. There are rumors that Twitter may be looking for suitable acquisition offers.