At the end of September, Twitter announced a random selection of accounts would have their character limit per tweet doubled from 140 to 280. A little more than a month later, the social media platform expanded this opportunity to everyone, in what many would call a fundamental change to the site and its functionality. As you might expect, not everyone is thrilled about the increase… but at least they had more room to complain about it:
But whyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy?
— Robert Mays (@robertmays) November 7, 2017
How do I know if I have #280characters? Because I just keep typing and typing and typing and typing and typing and typing and typing and typing and typing and typing and typing and typing and typing and typing and typing and typing and typing.
Seriously?
I don't like this.
— TheBloggess (@TheBloggess) November 7, 2017
But there were also plenty of people (and social media managers) who immediately took advantage of the increase to make jokes, quote their favorite movies and shows, warn people about the dangers and responsibilities of overdoing it, and to waste even more time/annoy people with the extra room. So here are some of the best reactions we saw from Twitter users to getting 280 characters.
Everyone's timelines when #280characters hit pic.twitter.com/8n3KqXjfPm
— Joe Hawks (@RenegadeDelta) November 8, 2017
280 characters? What is this, an episode of Riverdale?!
Haha.
Please buy our comics.
— Archie Comics (@ArchieComics) November 7, 2017
When you finally get #280characters but moments later realize that actually you don't need them and were just craving for it because some blue ticks and a select few got them first and now you've go back to sulking for the edit button which twitter isn't giving you anytime soon. pic.twitter.com/4kgINHuqrI
— Yogi (@UdtaLiberal) November 8, 2017
280 characters? What is this the award-winning, critically acclaimed, highly rated Home Box Office television series, 'Game of Thrones,' created by David Benioff and DB Weiss based on the novel 'A Song of Ice and Fire' by American author George R.R. Martin?
— Alex Rabinowitz (@alexrab) November 8, 2017
https://twitter.com/Malik4Play/status/928042070547111936
I already hate 280 characters.
— Joe Posnanski (@JPosnanski) November 8, 2017
This is bullshi pic.twitter.com/Ax3rRvNCBE
— Pixelated Boat (@pixelatedboat) November 7, 2017
Did we do it right? #280characters pic.twitter.com/Lg2DZZgo4o
— Netflix ANZ (@NetflixANZ) November 8, 2017
Hey guys, just want to say thanks for reading today's tweet and if you haven't yet, try Squarespace for all your website needs. Alright, here we go!
what if pants had a tiny leg in the middle for your penis
Thanks for reading today's tweet, and hey – why not try Blue Apron for
— ben mekler (@benmekler) November 7, 2017
When you have #280characters. pic.twitter.com/aH93g4K9mQ
— Diane N. Sevenay (@Diane_7A) November 8, 2017
Me, seeing how Twitter reacts to the new rule. #280characters pic.twitter.com/9NFRQ6xWI0
— Eli Tidmore (@EliTidmoreMusic) November 8, 2017
Oh good. Double the stupid.#280characters
— Philip DeFranco (@PhillyD) November 8, 2017
https://twitter.com/Anythingpork/status/928054654033956864
Still not enough, @Twitter. #FNL pic.twitter.com/LY9y79g66l
— NBC (@nbc) November 7, 2017
#280characters
L
E
T
SA
N
N
O
YA
L
LP
E
O
P
L
ET
H
A
TF
O
L
L
O
WM
EW
I
T
HT
Y
P
I
N
GL
I
K
ET
H
I
SF
O
RN
O
WO
NN
OR
E
G
E
R
T
S
# Noregerts— Random Americana (@Booo0512) November 8, 2017
everyone's 280 tweets are v cute but pic.twitter.com/RDr7GjMXwn
— BOO!ze Orman (@missunitedface) November 7, 2017
Pi=3.14159265358979323846264338327950288419716939937510582097494459230781640628620899862803482534211706798214808651328230664709384460955058223172535940812848111745028410270193852110555964462294895493038196442881097566593344612847564823378678316527120190914564856692346034861045432
— Ben Schwartz (@rejectedjokes) November 8, 2017
My tweets on 140 characters vs. my tweets on #280characters pic.twitter.com/le36YSz5Mz
— Tyler Conway (@jtylerconway) November 7, 2017
#Twitter right now be like…#280Characters pic.twitter.com/s8V5GJzFmf
— Scott Fishman (@smFISHMAN) November 8, 2017
Actually, is there a way I can be reduced to 70? I'm tired.
— Lauren Duca (@laurenduca) November 8, 2017
The fact people already abusing #280characters and they still not making any sense! pic.twitter.com/tiP2mgm0zQ
— Octane Blizz (@OctaneBlizz) November 8, 2017
Your long tweets are dumb and boring
— maura quint (@behindyourback) November 7, 2017
Fixed it for you, @Twitter. pic.twitter.com/B5syP1rvz7
— Nate Silver (@NateSilver538) November 7, 2017
If i wanted 280 characters Iâd just listen to all the demons inside my head, no thanks!
— Ali Segel (@OnlineAlison) November 7, 2017
First thing Dems need to do when they re-take the House in 2018 is restore the 140 character limit
— Andy Richter (@AndyRichter) November 8, 2017
https://twitter.com/jynksiedraws/status/928067717327937536
https://twitter.com/Mikeggibbs/status/928016929205370880
Well well well, look who has 280 characters now. Well well well well well well well well well well well well well well well well well well well well well well well well well well well well well well well well well well well well well well well well well well well well well well
— James Poniewozik (@poniewozik) November 7, 2017
two hundred eighty. the ole 280. the grand double guap and change. the three hundred minus 20. the double 140. the 28 x 10. the whole kit and caboodle. the grand character count. the double tweet. the triple lindy. letters galore. here comes the tweet bus pulling in to the statio
— Gideon Resnick (@GideonResnick) November 7, 2017
There were some recurring themes too, like how Twitter not only gave users something they didn’t actually want, they still won’t give them the only thing they have asked for.
https://twitter.com/badgalmaddie_/status/928059286848143361
All we wanted was an edit button.
All we wanted was an edit button.
All we wanted was an edit button.
All we wanted was an edit button.
All we wanted was an edit button.
All we wanted was an edit button
All we wanted was an edit button. #280characters— Brian Ross Adams (@BrianRossAd) November 7, 2017
#280characters
give us an edit button give us an edit button give us an edit button give us an edit button give us an edit button give us an edit button give us an edit button give us an edit button give us an edit button give us an edit button give us an edit button give us an e— WHENEVER IM ALONE OR IF IM FEELING GREY, THERES ON (@jpgdjh) November 8, 2017
I think they want an edit button.
But it turns out 280 characters are great for famous quotes and theme songs.
Finally Can Say This…
Now
this
is
the
story
all
about
how
My
life
got
flipped,
turned
upside
down
And
I'd
like
to
take
a
minute
just
sit
right
there
I'll
tell
you
how
I
became
the
prince
of
a
town
called
Bel Air #280characters pic.twitter.com/KuxIBg2MKx— Ziggy (@mrjafri) November 8, 2017
Take this object, but beware it carries a terrible curse.
Thatâs bad.
But it comes with a free frogurt!
Thatâs good.
The frogurt is also cursed.
Thatâs bad.
But it comes with your choice of toppings!
Thatâs good.
The toppings contain potassium benzoate.
…Thatâs bad.
— Ryan W. Mead (@rwmead) November 8, 2017
It's poetry in motion.
She turned her tender eyes to me.
As deep as any ocean.
As sweet as any harmony.
She blinded me with science, blinded me with science and
failed me in biology.
When I'm dancing close to her
I can smell the chemicals.
Blinding me withScience!#280characters pic.twitter.com/YUFdRiWdnK— Arlena de Victorious (@ArlenadeVictor) November 8, 2017
My name is Maximus Decimus Meridius, commander of the Armies of the North, General of the Felix Legions, loyal servant to the true emperor, Marcus Aurelius.
Father to a murdered son.
Husband to a murdered wife.
And I will have my vengeance,in this life or the next.#280characters— Major Happy (@SO2_Optimism) November 7, 2017
Fish don't fry in the kitchen;
Beans don't burn on the grill.
Took a whole lotta tryin'
Just to get up that hill.
Now we're up in the big leagues
Gettin' our turn at bat.
As long as we live, it's you and me baby
There ain't nothin wrong with that.#280characters— Michele Canty (@DPMCanty) November 8, 2017
In 1972, a crack commando unit was sent to prison by a military court for a crime they didn't commit. These men promptly escaped from a maximum security stockade to the Los Angeles underground. Today, still wanted by the government they survive as soldiers of fortuDAMMIT TOO LONG
— Neil Kleid (@neilkleid) November 8, 2017
In the criminal justice system, sexually based offenses are considered especially heinous. In New York City, the dedicated detectives who investigate these vicious felonies are members of an elite squad known as the Special Victims Unit. These are their stories. *DUN DUN*
— Law and Order: SVU (@nbcsvu) November 7, 2017
Also, what’s the most obvious joke in the world to make when someone allows you to write more? Making fun of writing more.
Who needs 280? The best writing rules are:
1. Less is more.
2. Simplify.
3. Donât use 8 words when 3 works.
4. Never waste a readerâs time.— Don Van Natta Jr. (@DVNJr) November 8, 2017
We all have 280 characters? Well, as Shakespeare wrote, âBrevity is the soul of wit. The soul of wit is what brevity is. Brevity? Soul of wit? They're the same thing. Like if you had brevity in one hand and the soul of wit in the other, youâd be hard pressed to tell them apart.â
— Stephen Colbert (@StephenAtHome) November 8, 2017
Brevity is the soul of wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit
— Hayley G Hoover (@hayleyghoover) November 8, 2017
So what about us? Did we do any better? Uh…..
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â»â³| â¢.â¢) This is the only thing we can think
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â»â³|— Nerdist (@nerdist) November 8, 2017
But you know who did nail this? NBA referees. No, really.
Now that we all have #280Characters, we expect your Twitter complaints about specific calls against your favorite teams to be calm, well-reasoned, and full of complete sentences. Thanks in advance for this positive step forward in basketball officiating-related discourse."
— NBA Referees (@OfficialNBARefs) November 7, 2017
That would have been the MVP reaction if not for the most unlikely of sources. Because on a day where Twitter doubled its character limit, the person who has possibly written the most words of anyone who has ever lived, knew exactly what to do with all that extra space.
280 characters? Fuck that.
— Stephen King (@StephenKing) November 8, 2017
That’s why he’s the King.
What was the best reaction you saw? Share it with us in the comments below.
Featured Image: Twitter\
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