Twitter Blog

Twitter, Even More Open Than We Wanted

2009-07-15T11:15:00.000-07:00

About a month ago, an administrative employee here at Twitter was targeted and her personal email account was hacked. From the personal account, we believe the hacker was able to gain information which allowed access to this employee's Google Apps account which contained Docs, Calendars, and other Google Apps Twitter relies on for sharing notes, spreadsheets, ideas, financial details and more within the company. Since then, we have performed a security audit and reminded everyone of the importance of personal security guidelines.

This attack had nothing to do with any vulnerability in Google Apps which we continue to use. This is more about Twitter being in enough of a spotlight that folks who work here can become targets. In fact, around the same time, Evan's wife's personal email was hacked and from there, the hacker was able to gain access to some of Evan's personal accounts such as Amazon and PayPal but not email. This isn't about any flaw in web apps, it speaks to the importance of following good personal security guidelines such as choosing strong passwords.

Stolen Documents, Not Compromised Accounts

It's important to note that the stolen documents which where downloaded and offered to various blogs and publications are not Twitter user accounts nor were any user accounts compromised (except for a screenshot of one person's account and we contacted that person and recommended changing their password). This was not a hack on the Twitter service, it was a personal attack followed by the theft of private company documents.

We are in touch with our legal counsel about what this theft means for Twitter, the hacker, and anyone who accepts and subsequently shares or publishes these stolen documents. We're not sure yet exactly what the implications are for folks who choose to get involved at this point but when we learn more and are able to share more, we will.

The 'Underwear Drawer' Analogy

We have a culture of sharing and communication within Twitter and these stolen documents represent a fraction of what we produce on a regular basis. Obviously, these docs are not polished or ready for prime time and they're certainly not revealing some big, secret plan for taking over the world. As Peter Kafka put it, this is "akin to having your underwear drawer rifled: Embarrassing, but no one’s really going to be surprised about what’s in there." That is an apt analogy.

Nevertheless, as they were never meant for public communication, publishing these documents publicly could jeopardize relationships with Twitter's ongoing and potential partners. We're doing our best to reach out to these folks and talk over any questions and concerns. However, our goal remains focusing on the most important business at hand—creating value for users and building the best possible Twitter service.

TweetCraft for WoW Players

2009-07-04T08:07:00.000-07:00

TweetCraft is an in-game Twitter client for World of Warcraft, the wildly popular massively multiplayer online role-playing game by Blizzard Entertainment. If you're a WoW player you might like it because you can send and receive tweets in-game, upload screenshots to TwitPic, automatically tweet when you get an achievement, and more. Also, the overly dramatic video promo is fun.

Twittering from the Tractor

2009-07-03T11:59:00.000-07:00

Steve Tucker is a wheat farmer in Nebraska changing the way we interact with the folks who grow our food. Twittering from the tractor: smartphones sprout on the farm is an interesting article at CNN.com about how farmer's like Steve are using Twitter and other tools to bridge the urban-rural divide and get us thinking more about where our food comes from.

The idea of extending the Twitter network into interesting locations around the world via mobile devices is at the core of our thinking and Steve sums it up well when he says, "I can be in the most remote place and just with the power of having a BlackBerry ... I can communicate with anybody at anytime about anything." You can follow @Tykerman1 on Twitter.

p.s. Twitter co-founder and CEO @ev grew up on a farm in Nebraska.

May The Tweets Be With You

2009-07-01T10:37:00.000-07:00

The ecosystem growing around Twitter is something we very much believe in nourishing and supporting. There are lots of really awesome services and applications out there like TweetDeck, TweetMeme, Tweetie, BackTweets, Tweetboard, and others that we absolutely love as do many users. However, as the ecosystem grows there is also the possibility that confusing and potentially damaging projects could emerge.

We have applied to trademark Tweet because it is clearly attached to Twitter from a brand perspective but we have no intention of "going after" the wonderful applications and services that use the word in their name when associated with Twitter. In fact, we encourage the use of the word Tweet. However, if we come across a confusing or damaging project, the recourse to act responsibly to protect both users and our brand is important.

Regarding the use of the word Twitter in projects, we are a bit more wary although there are some exceptions here as well. After all, Twitter is the name of our service and our company so the potential for confusion is much higher. When folks ask us about naming their application with "Twitter" we generally respond by suggesting more original branding for their project. This avoids potential confusion down the line.

Thanks to Robin Wauters at TechCrunch for raising the issue because it highlights a need. As we build our platform team, we will be adding more documentation, guidelines, and best practices to help developers get the most out of our growing set of open APIs. We'll work together to ensure success for Twitter, developers, and everyone who uses these services while avoiding confusion and maintaining quality.

Following and Followers Page Improvements

2009-06-30T16:16:00.000-07:00

When you click on the Following and Followers links from your Twitter home page, you'll notice that we've upgraded the design of these pages and added features. Instead of a basic list, there are now actions you can perform that provide a better overall experience. For example, you can turn on SMS, unfollow, mention, block, direct message, and more. Tip: You can also view the accounts that someone else is following and follow them yourself.

Restaurants on Twitter

2009-06-29T07:08:00.000-07:00

Boston Globe Staff Photo by Yoon S. Byun

This article from my hometown newspaper is a great example of something we're increasingly inspired by at Twitter. Small businesses—in this case restaurants—using Twitter as a low cost way to connect with patrons and ultimately improve profits.

What can you do with 140 characters or less, the length of each tweet? A lot, restaurants are discovering - everything from posting daily specials to luring followers with offers of free appetizers to offering a glimpse of kitchen life. It’s all good for business.

This quote is awesome, "You don’t need technology to be spreading your message on Twitter." Well, you do need a bit of technology but not that much, it's true. With a chalkboard and a mobile phone you can boost business. Is your favorite restaurant on Twitter?

Up, Up, and Away

2009-06-16T15:21:00.000-07:00

Twitter is back and our network capacity is now significantly increased. The planned maintenance that we moved from last night to this afternoon was a success and it took half the time we expected.

When we worked with our network provider yesterday to reschedule this planned maintenance, we did so because events in Iran were tied directly to the growing significance of Twitter as an important communication and information network. Although presumed impossible if not extremely difficult, we decided together to move the date. It made sense for Twitter and for NTT America to keep services active during this highly visible global event.

It's humbling to think that our two-year old company could be playing such a globally meaningful role that state officials find their way toward highlighting our significance. However, it's important to note that the State Department does not have access to our decision making process. Nevertheless, we can both agree that the open exchange of information is a positive force in the world.

Down Time Rescheduled

2009-06-15T16:17:00.000-07:00

A critical network upgrade must be performed to ensure continued operation of Twitter. In coordination with Twitter, our network host had planned this upgrade for tonight. However, our network partners at NTT America recognize the role Twitter is currently playing as an important communication tool in Iran. Tonight's planned maintenance has been rescheduled to tomorrow between 2-3p PST (1:30a in Iran).

Our partners are taking a huge risk not just for Twitter but also the other services they support worldwide—we commend them for being flexible in what is essentially an inflexible situation. We chose NTT America Enterprise Hosting Services early last year specifically because of their impeccable history of reliability and global perspective. Today's decision and actions continue to prove why NTT America is such a powerful partner for Twitter.

Not Playing Ball

2009-06-06T11:15:00.001-07:00

Impersonation violates Twitter's Terms of Service and we take the issue seriously. We suspend, delete, or transfer control of accounts known to be impersonation. When alerted, we took action in this regard on behalf of St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony La Russa.

Reports this week that Twitter has settled a law suit and officially agreed to pay legal fees for an impersonation complaint that was taken care of by our support staff in accordance with our Terms are erroneous. Twitter has not settled, nor do we plan to settle or pay.

With due respect to the man and his notable work, Mr. La Russa’s lawsuit was an unnecessary waste of judicial resources bordering on frivolous. Twitter’s Terms of Service are fair and we believe will be upheld in a court that will ultimately dismiss Mr. La Russa’s lawsuit.

Verified Accounts Beta (A Sneak Peak)

We do recognize an opportunity to improve Twitter user experience and clear up confusion beyond simply removing impersonation accounts once alerted. We'll be experimenting with a beta preview of what we're calling Verified Accounts this summer.

Verified Accounts will feature a special seal.

The experiment will begin with public officials, public agencies, famous artists, athletes, and other well known individuals at risk of impersonation. We hope to verify more accounts in the future but due to the resources required, verification will begin only with a small set.

San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom's official site links to his Twitter account.

Please note that this doesn't mean accounts without a verification seal are fake—the vast majority of Twitter accounts are not impersonators. Another way to determine authenticity is to check the official web site of the person for a link back to their Twitter account.

When we do start testing Account Verification, we will be sure to provide ample methods for feedback. Initially, verification will not be tested with businesses. However, we do see an opportunity in that arena so we'll keep you posted when we have something to share.

Shuffle up and Deal

2009-05-28T13:28:00.000-07:00

The World Series of Poker begins today in Las Vegas. For the poker fan, it's a chance to see the best in the world contend with amateurs from all over the world.

If there's a problem with the WSOP, it's that there's so much of it. It runs for almost two months, has over 50 events and involves thousands of players. Twitter user and poker pro Joe Sebok has created a great new tool for following all the action using Twitter.

PokerRoad Nation aggregates tweets from professional players (like Barry Greenstein and Annie Duke) as well as amateurs. You can filter the tweets to see updates about a specific WSOP event or from specific players.

When you're trying to follow an event like a poker tournament where thousands of people might be playing at hundreds of tables, a tool like this let's you see what's going on through the players' eyes. It's a whole new way of seeing the game.

We're Not Making A TV Show

2009-05-26T11:17:00.001-07:00

Just to be clear, Twitter is not making a television show. Some Hollywood folks are developing something that leverages Twitter and they are extremely enthusiastic as evidenced by all the media hubbub yesterday and today. We have little to do with their efforts but we wish them success.

Like the thousands of apps being built around Twitter, there is a growing interest from the entertainment and news industry. We see these projects and others as yet another way the ecosystem is enriched for everyone who uses Twitter.

Twitter Goes Hollywood?

2009-05-25T17:45:00.000-07:00

The web is abuzz today with talk of a "Twitter TV show." I'm even getting folks asking me if they can audition. Indeed, there are a lot of interesting developments happening in the television space—MTV, G4, CNN, E! and various independent production companies are all leveraging Twitter for fun new projects. There are probably a bunch we don't even know about yet.

Is There An Official Twitter Show?

There is no official Twitter TV show—although if there were it would be fun to cast! In dealing with networks and production companies we sometimes have simple agreements. Regarding the Reveille and Brillstein project reported today, we have a lightweight, non-exclusive, agreement with the producers which helps them move forward more freely.

Our Openness Is Extensive

Twitter is very open. As a result, thousands of different applications, web sites, and mobile interfaces have been created by developers. These different approaches add variety and relevance to Twitter and in general make the ecosystem more interesting. However, Twitter's openness is not limited to the web or even to mobile phones.

During the 2008 presidential elections, Hack The Debate showed us how Twitter could make television interactive and possibly even have a democratizing effect on the medium. The power of Twitter was harnessed to create new, compelling, and engaging programming. CNN was an early innovator with Twitter too. Our openness made it all possible.

Twitter's open approach might have the power to transform television—the dominant communications receiver worldwide. We're very excited to see where these experiments take us.

Hello, New Zealand

2009-05-24T14:29:00.000-07:00

Last week we launched full, two-way SMS for Vodafone customers in New Zealand. The shortcode for Twitter in NZ is 8987 or TWTR. As always, Twittering over SMS is a standard rate message or deducted from your bundle and receiving notifications is free. If you're not a Vodafone customer, don't worry—we're working on it.

Image created by denèe.

What About Australia?

We know from experience that Australian Twitterers are a passionate bunch. Hopefully this good news will not have a negative impact on Trans-Tasman relations. We promise that Twitter loves Australia and we will be turning on full, two-way SMS in your fabulous island continent as soon as our mobile team can make the necessary arrangements.

Does Twitter Hate Advertising?

2009-05-20T11:09:00.000-07:00

When we speak publicly about how Twitter might become a profitable business, we talk about the idea of commercial usage and then explain that we're still exploring what that means—that's true. We also say traditional web banner advertising isn't interesting to us which is also true. However, to say we are philosophically opposed to any and all advertising is incorrect.

For a long time, we've said that we think there are interesting opportunities related to commercial usage. Businesses and individuals are getting value out of Twitter and we may be able to enhance that. We've just begun exploring in this area—early ideas include account authentication, management tools, and discovery mechanisms. We'll keep you posted.

The idea of taking money to run traditional banner ads on Twitter.com has always been low on our list of interesting ways to generate revenue. However, facilitating connections between businesses and individuals in meaningful and relevant ways is compelling. We're going to leave the door open for exploration in this area.

Do we hate advertising? Of course not. It's a huge industry filled with creativity and inspiration. There's also room for new innovation in advertising, marketing, and public relations and Twitter is already part of that. In fact, next month I'll be attending and speaking at the 56th annual international advertising festival, Cannes Lions 2009. I'll let you know how it goes.

The Replies Kerfuffle

2009-05-14T16:33:00.000-07:00

Twitter evolves and thrives on how folks use it. Some of our best features are invented by users, so listening is extremely valuable. Replies and conversations are awesome and we fully intend to support and encourage their growth. We removed a setting that 3% of all accounts had ever touched but for those folks it was beloved. The use cases that folks loved about this setting will return in a new and improved form.

We screwed up from a communications perspective this week. When I heard that this change was going out, I rushed to write a blog post. This setting had both product design flaws as well as technical flaws and I did not do my homework. My post came from a product design perspective but the technical perspective was the reason it went away so quickly. Normally, I spend more time understanding the issue before explaining it on this blog but in my haste I made a mistake.

Subsequently, there is now a lot of confusion about what this change actually was. 97% of all accounts were not affected at all by this change—the default setting is that you only see replies by people you follow to people you follow. For the 3% who wanted to see replies to people they don't follow, we cannot turn this setting back on in its original form for technical reasons and we won't rebuild it exactly the same for product design reasons. I've taken some time to break down both the product design and technical problems this feature had.

Product Design Flaws

Since last year we've been hearing from users and having discussions about removing this setting—feedback indicated that it was useful but also created confusion. People would change the setting and then not understand why their timeline had fragments of conversations. From the tweet author perspective, there was an unclear expectation as to who would actually see messages which often lead to trepidation when it came to using replies. Finally, even folks who understood the setting would complain that they couldn't follow accounts with a high volume of replies because the replies overwhelmed their timeline. It was becoming apparent that we had an opportunity for improvement.

Technical Problems

Even though only 3% of all Twitter accounts ever changed this setting away from the default, it was causing a strain and impacting other parts of the system. Every time someone wrote a reply Twitter had to check and see what each of their followers' reply setting was and then manifest that tweet accordingly in their timeline—this was the most expensive work the database was doing and it was causing other features to degrade which lead to SMS delays, inconsistencies in following, fluctuations in direct message counts, and more. Ideally, we would redesign and rebuild this feature but there was no time, hence the sudden deploy.

Hopefully, this clears things up a bit and I promise to be less distracted and hasty when it comes to blog posts. We're still listening, reading tweets, gathering feedback, and working on more efficient ways of doing so. Thanks to everyone for the feedback and for using Twitter.

We Learned A Lot

2009-05-13T13:00:00.000-07:00

This morning we received lots of great info about the replies setting we changed yesterday. Folks loved this feature because it allowed them to discover new people and participate serendipitously in various conversations. The problem with the setting was that it didn't scale and even if we rebuilt it, the feature was blunt. It was confusing and caused a sense of inconsistency. We felt we could do much better.

So here's what we're planning to do. First, we're making a change such that any updates beginning with @username (that are not explicitly created by clicking on the reply icon) will be seen by everyone following that account. This will bring back some serendipity and discovery and we can do this very soon.

Second, we've started designing a new feature which will give folks far more control over what they see from the accounts they follow. This will be a per-user setting and it will take a bit longer to put together but not too long and we're already working on it. Thanks for all the great feedback and thanks for helping us discover what's important!

Whoa, Feedback!

2009-05-13T08:56:00.000-07:00

We're getting a ton of extremely useful feedback about yesterday's update to Settings. The engineering team reminded me that there were serious technical reasons why that setting had to go or be entirely rebuilt—it wouldn't have lasted long even if we thought it was the best thing ever. Nevertheless, it's amazing to wake up and see all the tweets about this change.

We're hearing your feedback and reading through it all. One of the strongest signals is that folks were using this setting to discover and follow new and interesting accounts—this is something we absolutely want to support. Our product, design, user experience, and technical teams have started brainstorming a way to surface a new, scalable way to address this need.

Please stay tuned and thank you again for all the feedback.

Small Settings Update

2009-05-12T14:53:00.000-07:00

We've updated the Notices section of Settings to better reflect how folks are using Twitter regarding replies. Based on usage patterns and feedback, we've learned most people want to see when someone they follow replies to another person they follow—it's a good way to stay in the loop. However, receiving one-sided fragments via replies sent to folks you don't follow in your timeline is undesirable. Today's update removes this undesirable and confusing option.

The Importance of Discovery

Spotting new folks in tweets is an interesting way to check out new profiles and find new people to follow. Despite this update, you'll still see mentions or references linking to people you don't follow. For example, you'll continue to see, "Ev meeting with @biz about work stuff" even if you don't follow @biz. We'll be introducing better ways to discover and follow interesting accounts as we release more features in this space.

Canada Gets Fully Twitterized

2009-05-11T15:48:00.000-07:00

Today we launched full, two-way SMS support for Telus, Virgin Mobile, and Koodo Mobile. We are now live on all major operators in Canada—that means pretty much every mobile phone user in Canada has the ability to send and receive Twitter updates via SMS. Just like our deals with the rest of the major Canadian mobile operators, there are no additional fees. Twitter messages are standard rates or deducted from your bundle if you have one. More countries to follow.

More Canada, Please

2009-05-05T10:06:00.000-07:00

We've made more progress with SMS in Canada, this time with our friends at Rogers and Fido. Starting today, if you are a Twitterer as well as a customer of Rogers or Fido, then you can update via SMS and receive updates from Twitter via SMS. Your tweets are treated as standard messages. There are no additional charges—tweets are free and will remain free.

If you haven't activated your mobile to work with Twitter, it's easy to do from your Settings page. The Twitter message limit of 140 characters was based on the limit of 160 characters imposed by SMS in general—we just needed some room to include your name in front of the message. It's this simple constraint that allows Twitter to work well in so many places.

A driving idea behind Twitter has long been to extend the power of a real-time network to mobile devices everywhere through the simple technology of SMS. We're thrilled to activate full, two-way SMS to many more people in Canada with no additional fees and we're working on the rest of the world right now.

Twitter Search for Everyone!

2009-04-30T14:29:00.000-07:00

Every public update sent to Twitter from anywhere in the world 24/7 can be instantly indexed and made discoverable via our newly launched real-time search. What was that loud noise outside your apartment? Did you just feel an earthquake? What do people think about your company, your product, or your city? With this newly launched feature, Twitter has become something unexpectedly important—a discovery engine for finding out what is happening right now.

Searching Outside the Box

Twitter teaches us new and amazing things every day and a big lesson learned is that search is so much more than a box and a button. As public tweets fly in from around the globe, we analyze them to detect when certain words or phrases occur with higher frequency. These trending phrases are surfaced in the Twitter home page just under the new search box and they're updated throughout the day. Built on our search technology, trends are a compelling if rudimentary way to explore a collective global consciousness.

A Simple Approach

Accessing Twitter.com is a simple experience—you sign in and read the updates from the accounts you have chosen to follow. If you've been using Twitter for a while, you've probably curated an interesting collection of updates from friends, family, co-workers, businesses, media organizations, and maybe even a favorite celebrity. With the addition of search, you can ask Twitter to build you a fresh timeline of updates based on a keyword or phrase. It's a whole new experience with a familiar look and feel.

Saving Your Searches

If you find yourself searching for the same word or phrase on a regular basis, then you'll probably like using "save this search" which, when clicked, will place those keywords as links into your home page just under the search box. This gives you one-click access to your favorite searches. To remove the saved search links, click the word again and notice the new option to, "Remove this saved search." We've also added an option to collapse your list of saved searches as well as the icons of the accounts you are following for a cleaner view.

Unauthorized Access: An Update on Security

2009-04-30T13:17:00.000-07:00

This week, unauthorized access to Twitter was gained by an outside party. Our initial security reviews and investigations indicate that no account information was altered or removed in any way. However, we discovered that 10 individual accounts were viewed during this unauthorized access.

Personal information that may have been viewed on these 10 individual accounts includes email address, mobile phone number (if one was associated with the account), and the list of accounts blocked by that user. We have personally contacted Twitter users whose accounts were compromised via this unauthorized access.

Password information was not revealed or altered, nor were personal messages (direct messages) viewed. Twitter takes security very seriously so we will be conducting a thorough, independent security audit of all internal systems and implementing additional anti-intrusion measures to further safeguard user data.

Malaria No More

2009-04-24T10:45:00.000-07:00

The recent race to 1M followers between @cnnbrk and @aplusk was mostly just for kicks. Nevertheless, it wasn't all fun and games because it made a difference in raising awareness for Malaria No More, a nonprofit organization in New York that aims to end deaths caused by malaria in Africa.

What's The Deal with OAuth?

2009-04-22T12:56:00.000-07:00

OAuth is an open protocol that Twitter is experimenting with along with other companies such as Yahoo, Netflix, and Google. The idea is that folks can use awesome Twitter related applications and services like We Follow or TipJoy without giving away their account credentials. Our implementation of OAuth is in a beta testing mode right now and we are in close contact with the consortium of engineers who continue to define this open protocol.

This week, we received word from the folks at OAuth that they were looking closely at a security issue within the protocol. We take security seriously and felt the responsible thing to do was temporarily disable OAuth while this matter was sorted out. Yahoo and others made similar decisions. The developers working on Twitter projects that are in our beta test group felt this disruption the hardest and their patience is extremely appreciated.

It's important to us that we support the ecosystem and developers that have grown around Twitter. Communication is a big part of this support but so is moving quickly and responsibly when security is involved. As we move further away from beta testing, Twitter's OAuth support will grow more dependable and many of us will be able to take advantage of applications that incorporate the protocol.

We're in contact with Twitter developers helping us test OAuth as well as the folks behind the protocol and the other companies using it. We're expecting service to return later today even better and stronger than before.

Wily Weekend Worms

2009-04-12T11:50:00.000-07:00

On a weekend normally reserved for bunnies, a worm took center stage. A computer worm is a self-replicating computer program sometimes introduced by folks with malicious intent to do some harm to a network. Please note that no passwords, phone numbers, or other sensitive information was compromised as part of these attacks.

The worm introduced to Twitter this weekend was similar to the famous Samy worm which spread across the popular MySpace social-networking site a while back. At that time, MySpace filed a lawsuit against the virus creator which resulted in a felony charge and sentencing. Twitter takes security very seriously and we will be following up on all fronts.

What Went Down?

At about 2AM on Saturday, four accounts were created that began spreading a worm on Twitter. From 7:30AM until 11AM PST, our security team worked on eliminating the vectors that could identify this worm. At that time, about 90 accounts were compromised. We identified and secured these accounts.

Later in the afternoon, a second wave of the worm hit Twitter and this time it was much more intense. We got back to work and the situation was contained. About 100 accounts were compromised. Again, we identified and secured the accounts. We also identified and deleted malicious content that could work to further spread the worm.

On Sunday morning, we had another bout of attacks. Our team quickly pulled together and started fighting the attackers in real time. Again, we secured the accounts that had been compromised and removed any content that might help spread the worm. All told, we identified and deleted almost 10,000 tweets that could have continued to spread the worm.

[Update] Late Sunday night and into the wee hours of Monday we fought off a fourth attack. Once again, we secured the compromised accounts and deleted any material that would further propagate the worm.

Now What?

We are still reviewing all the details, cleaning up, and we remain on alert. Every time we battle an attack, we evaluate our web coding practices to learn how we can do better to prevent them in the future. We will conduct a full review of the weekend activities. Everything from how it happened, how we reacted, and preventative measures will be covered.

In addition to making Twitter stronger and more secure, we will share the information we have learned with our friends at other popular web based services so they can make sure they have the right systems in place for dealing with the same kind of malicious activity. Our support team will have lots of email to go through on Monday so please bear with us and thanks for your patience.