Twitter Blog

Post-Bowl Twitter analysis

2012-02-06T13:06:00.000-08:00

The results are in: People love to share the experience of watching the Super Bowl with millions of other viewers from around the world. Whether it’s cheering for your team, commenting on the halftime show or discussing the ads, it seems you have a lot to say about this annual tradition—and you’re using Twitter to say it.

Here’s a fun fact: in 2008, Twitter’s largest spike in Tweets per second (TPS) during the Super Bowl was just 27. Three years later, fans sent 4,064 TPS, which was the highest TPS for any sporting event at that time.

This year, the TPS peak was 12,233 Tweets. The spike took place in the final three minutes of the game, during which fans sent an average of 10,000 TPS. Madonna’s performance during halftime was a big hit, too—there was an average of 8,000 TPS sustained during her performance, with a peak of 10,245 Tweets.

In the image above, you can see a few more data points from last night, including how some of the hashtags performed that were displayed on-air in the ads. If you missed any of those ads, head to adscrimmage.twitter.com to check them out and vote for your favorite via Tweet.

Roar of the crowd: Super Bowl on Twitter

2012-02-02T11:34:00.000-08:00

From @TimTebow leading the Denver Broncos to a shocking overtime win (and a new record for sports-related Tweets per second: 9,420) to San Diego Chargers receiver @ericweddle1’s sideline Tweets from the Pro Bowl—we watched all of the NFL post-season’s most memorable moments come alive on Twitter.

And while the @Giants and @Patriots’ rematch and halftime show play out on TV, the national conversation is happening well beyond your den: it also happens on Twitter. Follow your favorite NFL players, coaches and commentators during the game, or just search for #SuperBowl to see how everyone is reacting to the action on the field.

Here's what @Giants & @Patriots'll be fighting 4 Sunday: Lombardi trophy, on-set 4 Super Bowl LIVE. #nfltotalaccess twitter.com/nflnetwork/sta…
— NFL Network (@nflnetwork) January 30, 2012

To discover new accounts related to the Giants or the Patriots, follow @GiantsTweets and @NEPatriotTweets. These accounts automatically select and retweet the top Tweets from official team accounts, coaches, players, owners and local media.

Of course, it wouldn’t be the Super Bowl without the creative ads, and this year we’re introducing a Twitter twist. Immediately after the game, you can replay all of the ads that aired during the game and Tweet votes for your favorites on adscrimmage.twitter.com. We’ll announce which ad dominated the post-game Twitter conversation on Feb. 12, a week from Sunday. Learn more about the program here.

Twitter is the best place to see and share your take on everything Super Bowl—and for sports-related Tweets all year long, follow @Twittersports.

Tweets still must flow

2012-01-26T11:25:00.000-08:00

See below for an update.

One year ago, we posted "The Tweets Must Flow," in which we said,

“The open exchange of information can have a positive global impact … almost every country in the world agrees that freedom of expression is a human right. Many countries also agree that freedom of expression carries with it responsibilities and has limits.”

As we continue to grow internationally, we will enter countries that have different ideas about the contours of freedom of expression. Some differ so much from our ideas that we will not be able to exist there. Others are similar but, for historical or cultural reasons, restrict certain types of content, such as France or Germany, which ban pro-Nazi content.

Until now, the only way we could take account of those countries’ limits was to remove content globally. Starting today, we give ourselves the ability to reactively withhold content from users in a specific country — while keeping it available in the rest of the world. We have also built in a way to communicate transparently to users when content is withheld, and why.

We haven’t yet used this ability, but if and when we are required to withhold a Tweet in a specific country, we will attempt to let the user know, and we will clearly mark when the content has been withheld. As part of that transparency, we’ve expanded our partnership with Chilling Effects to share this new page, http://chillingeffects.org/twitter, which makes it easier to find notices related to Twitter.

There’s more information in our Help pages, both on our Policy and about Your Account Settings.

One of our core values as a company is to defend and respect each user’s voice. We try to keep content up wherever and whenever we can, and we will be transparent with users when we can't. The Tweets must continue to flow.

Update - Jan 27, 2:20pm.
Since yesterday’s post, we’ve gotten a number of questions that we’d like to broadly address with this update.

In short, we believe the new, more granular approach to withheld content is a good thing for freedom of expression, transparency, accountability— and for our users. Besides allowing us to keep Tweets available in more places, it also allows users to see whether we are living up to our freedom of expression ideal.

Q: Do you filter out certain Tweets before they appear on Twitter?
A: No. Our users now send a billion Tweets every four days—filtering is neither desirable nor realistic. With this new feature, we are going to be reactive only: that is, we will withhold specific content only when required to do so in response to what we believe to be a valid and applicable legal request.

As we do today, we will evaluate each request before taking any action. Any content we do withhold in response to such a request is clearly identified to users in that country as being withheld. And we are now able to make that content available to users in the rest of the world.

Q: What will people see if content is withheld?
A: If people are located in a country where a Tweet or account has been withheld and they try to view it, they will see a alert box that says “Tweet withheld” or “@Username withheld” in place of the affected Tweet or account.

Q: Why did you take this approach, and why now?
A: There’s no magic to the timing of this feature. We’ve been working to reduce the scope of withholding, while increasing transparency, for a while. We have users all over the world and wanted to find a way to deal with requests in the least restrictive way.

Hack Week @ Twitter

2012-01-25T12:20:00.000-08:00

Hack Week is one of the ways we actively promote innovation through experimentation around the company. This week, a wide range of folks here are taking time away from their day-to-day work to collaborate and develop ideas that they are passionate about.

Get comfortable with uncertainty; it leaves room for inspiration. #hackweek
— benji shine (@bshine) January 24, 2012

Employees across the company have formed nearly 100 teams to work on a variety of projects. Some are developing ways that could make Twitter even easier to use; others are testing out a new feature or tool that people might want to see in the service. Some projects are technical, and strategic; some are fun, giving people a chance to stretch their creative muscles.

We don’t know what exactly will result, but we can’t wait to find out. One thing we do know: we’ll have a bunch of awesome new products, features, and ideas. Some may launch quickly, and others will earn more time and attention to further develop. And of course, some of what happens in Hack Week will stay in Hack Week.

Stay tuned for updates about our first Hack Week of 2012.

Twitter Translation Center adds Right-to-Left Languages

2012-01-25T07:00:00.000-08:00

Beginning today, right-to-left languages are now available for volunteers to translate in the Twitter Translation Center, starting with Arabic, Farsi, Hebrew and Urdu. The Twitter Translation Center takes a crowd-sourced approach to translating and localizing Twitter for people around the world. More than 425,000 volunteers contribute to the Translation Center, and to date have helped make Twitter available in 22 languages. With their help, these will be the next four.

As we prepare to add Arabic, Farsi, Hebrew and Urdu to Twitter, we’ve developed new ways to ensure that Tweets and hashtags will work properly in right-to-left languages. We’ve also made changes behind the scenes to give right-to-left language speakers a localized user experience. As soon as our volunteers have completed their translation work, we’ll make Arabic, Farsi, Hebrew and Urdu available for everyone on Twitter.com later this spring.

Follow the State of the Union on Twitter

2012-01-24T11:14:00.000-08:00

“He shall from time to time give to Congress information of the State of the Union and recommend to their Consideration such measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient.”
–The Constitution of the United States, Article II, Section 3

Every year, the President of the United States delivers a kind of “status update” and his proposals for new initiatives to a joint session of Congress. In the early days, it was a private communique between two branches of government; today it’s very much a public event to which millions of Americans, as well as people around the world, tune in.

Want a peek behind the scenes of the #SOTU? Here's the story of how it comes together youtube.com/watch?v=FxwcJx…
— The White House (@whitehouse) January 24, 2012

Tonight at 9pm ET/6pm PT, President @BarackObama will deliver his fourth State of the Union address. Whether you watch it on TV or hear it on the radio, you’ll get a richer, 360-degree experience of what he says and reactions to it when you follow along live on Twitter. Here’s how:

Get your timeline ready: Look for more from the president by following @WHLive and @whitehouse and follow the reaction from Republican presidential candidates. More than 450 members of the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate have Twitter accounts; we expect that many will be tweeting their thoughts from the chamber. And if you watch on C-SPAN2, you’ll be able to see their Tweets on screen in real time as well.

Make your voice heard: Join the conversation by adding the hashtag #SOTU to your Tweets. Immediately after the debate, a team of senior White House officials will be ready to answer your questions when you add the hashtags #WHchat and #SOTU to your Tweets. And if you have something to say about specific parts of the speech or topics, you can include one of the following official hashtags from the White House:

#jobs
#manufacturing
#energy
#education
#fairness

Republican leaders will be taking questions using #SOTUGOP. For more on #SOTU-related Q&As this week, visit http://wh.gov/sotu and http://gop.gov/sotu.

Get real-time analysis as the speech unfolds: Log in to Twitter and search for the hashtag #SOTU to see comments and ideas from many perspectives about the speech. (Last year, more than 80% of Tweets about the State of the Union used the #SOTU hashtag.)

Updated:

And the results are in. Below is a visual of the Twitter activity from President Obama's entrance into the House chamber up through Mitch Daniels' response for the Republican Party. There were three-quarters of a million Tweets that specifically mentioned the State of the Union. And the moment that we saw the highest Tweets-per-minute was following the President's "spilled milk" joke (14,131 TPM).

(click to enlarge)

For other views of how the speech played out on Twitter, check out Rick Santorum's and Gov. Buddy Roemer's accounts who live-tweeted the event.

Finally, the Vice President took to Twitter this evening to announce his first Twitter chat later this week.

POTUS is right, we need an America built to last. Join me to discuss #SOTU in my 1st @Twitter chat 1/26, 1:30pm ET. Use #WHChat to ask Qs-VP
— Office of VP Biden (@VP) January 25, 2012

Discover: Sundance

2012-01-19T09:30:00.000-08:00

Every year at this time, film buffs from around the world converge on Park City, Utah to see more than 200 documentaries, dramas and short films at the Sundance Film Festival (@sundancefest). To discover the next great films, directors and stars before they make it big, just follow along on Twitter. Here’s a list of all the filmmakers at this year’s festival; you can join the conversation by sharing your opinions and comments using the hashtag #Sundance.

Throughout the festival, keep track of guest Tweeters like screenwriter and director @MichaelMohan (“Save The Date”), hip-hop artist and actor @Common (“LUV”) and comedian-turned-screenwriter/director @Birbigs (Mike Birbiglia, “Sleepwalk With Me”).From A-list directors like @SpikeLee (“Red Hook Summer”) to New York Times film critic @aoscott, you can tune into any perspective about what’s happening.

You can even go behind the scenes as Sundance directors talk about their films. Watch @aliklay describe her documentary about Chinese artist and activist Ai Weiwei, and visit the @sundancefest profile page for more filmmaker videos.

Alison Klayman on the life of Chinese artist and dissident Ai Weiwei (@aiww) and an ever-changing documentary: youtu.be/ElrMCedVTtE
— SundanceFilmFestival (@sundancefest) January 6, 2012

The #answer and #dodge results for the Fox debate

2012-01-16T22:24:00.000-08:00

Tonight, the remaining field of Republican candidates took to the stage in South Carolina to make their case to voters. Throughout the debate, Fox News encouraged viewers to rate each candidate’s responses in real time by tweeting #answer or #dodge plus the candidate’s name.

From Juan Williams referencing Tweets from his timeline in pressing Newt Gingrich to clarify an answer, to host Bret Baier asking candidates questions from Twitter users, you were part of the debate conversation—online and on TV.

We partnered with Mass Relevance to track the #answer and #dodge data. The tweeting was immediate, providing a rich real-time picture of audience reaction to each candidate’s answer within 15 to 30 seconds. Here are a few of the debate highlights:

Newt Gingrich
After a slow start and a net #dodge rating for an answer on his recent attacks on Mitt Romney’s record at Bain Capital, Gingrich elicited strong #answer ratings for much of the remainder of the debate. His highest #answer peaks came during his comments on unemployment and his reply to Juan Williams about characterizing President Obama as a “food stamp President.”

(click to enlarge)

Mitt Romney
While generating the highest total volume of Tweets among the candidates, Romney spent most of the debate with net Twitter user reaction firmly in #dodge territory. The former Massachusetts governor’s explanation for not releasing his tax records generated the most significant #dodge reaction, but Romney scored #answer ratings for his replies on Medicare and Social Security reform and his refusal to negotiate with the Taliban.

(click to enlarge)

Responses to the other candidates:

Rick Perry’s biggest Twitter reaction came right at the end of the debate, as Twitter users rewarded him by noting #answer for his response to a question on immigration.

Users tweeted that Rick Santorum’s biggest #dodge of the night was in his answers to questions on gun control, but they applauded his answers on employment.

Ron Paul saw his most significant number of #dodge votes in answers around foreign policy.

Using Twitter to follow the political debates

2012-01-15T17:44:00.000-08:00

As the primaries roll on, so do the political conversations on Twitter. If you want to be the first to hear what’s happening on the campaign trail as it unfolds in real time, here’s a list of accounts we suggest you follow to get in the middle of the action.

Getting the latest information and commentary by following candidates, pundits, journalists and other voters is one of the best ways to stay informed. And there’s another way to make your voice heard on Twitter, particularly during debates. Twitter gives everyone equal and unprecedented access to many of the most influential players in the election. And we know that when you tweet, they listen.

Tomorrow night, at the Fox News Republican debate in South Carolina, your Tweets will let host Bret Baier, on-air analysts, viewers and candidates themselves know your thoughts during the evening.

We’ve been through this before — so here’s a reminder of how you can have your say:

When a candidate answers a question, tweet that person’s name with #answer (if you think they answered the question) or #dodge (if you think they, well, dodged it).

Watch the live results at live.foxnews.com.

To further join the conversation, include the debate’s official hashtag (#scdebate) in your Tweets, or search for that hashtag on Twitter.com to see what everyone else is saying.

Follow the playoffs to the #SuperBowl

2012-01-13T14:09:00.000-08:00

This year, discovering the playoffs on Twitter is easier than ever: we’ve partnered with @chevrolet to launch Road to the #SuperBowl. Head over to get real-time updates from everyone watching every playoff game, including coaches, players, analysts and fans. While the teams move the chains on the field, on Twitter you can track who’s winning by the number of Tweets fans send about players and teams.

Last week more than 1.5 million Tweets mentioned @TimTebow during the Denver Broncos’ overtime win against the Pittsburgh Steelers—and, reacting to Tebow’s game-winning touchdown pass to @DemaryriusT, fans set a new Twitter sports record of 9,420 Tweets per second. That’s more than double the Tweets per second peak from last year’s Super Bowl game (4,064).

Tune in this weekend to follow every bold prediction, every sideline development and every game-changing down on Twitter. Can the @49ers defense slow down the offensive firepower of @Official_Saints? How will the breaking news and injuries reported by @JasonLaCanfora affect the match-ups during the game? And what do sportswriters like @SI_PeterKing and @sportsguy33 make of it?

If it’s happening on the field, on TV, or in the press box, it’s happening on Twitter. Game on!

Make this your Twitter profile pic leading up to the #49ers Divisional round game against the Saints. #BeatTheSaints twitter.com/49ers/status/1…
— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) January 10, 2012

Twitter, in your language

2012-01-06T09:20:00.000-08:00

More than 400,000 volunteers have contributed to our Translation Center, which takes a crowd-sourced approach to making Twitter available in new languages. In fact, thanks to these passionate people all over the world, Twitter is offered in 21 languages. We’ve recently introduced it in Danish, Finnish, Norwegian and Polish — and today, we launch in Swedish.

As the number of volunteer translators grows, we’ll explore new ways to empower users to translate and localize Twitter for even more communities. Expect to see further improvements to the Translation Center in the coming year, including new translation tools and more opportunities to help make Twitter accessible to every person on the planet.

If you’d like to get involved, visit translate.twttr.com and follow @translator for the latest updates about these efforts. If you’d like to read Twitter in a different language, you can change your language setting.

Let's Fly: Embeddable Tweets

2012-01-05T12:24:00.001-08:00

Tweets have become one of the most important — and simplest — ways for people to share news, humor, inspiration, and knowledge online. And they are even richer when they include pictures, videos, locations, or links to other sites on the web. With the new version of Twitter, anyone can embed Tweets simply by copying and pasting one line of code into their website. Embedded Tweets automatically open to show images, conversations and videos.

Whenever you see a Tweet embedded in a web page, you can follow that user with a single click and reply, retweet or favorite the Tweet right from the page. Click on the author’s @username to see their Twitter profile page, or click the date in the lower left corner of the Tweet to see Replies, Retweets and Favorites on the Details page. Try it now on this embedded Tweet.

#protip Now you can embed a Tweet right on your WordPress blog, Posterous Space, or any website. Read more: dev.twitter.com/blog/tweets-an…
— Twitter (@twitter) January 5, 2012

People are already embedding Tweets across the web in order to continue the conversations that matter to them. U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) embedded a Tweet to congratulate Walla Walla Community College. Journalists embed Tweets to quote eyewitnesses or sources, and bloggers embed Tweets to collect the year’s most memorable moments in one place. Here’s how you can embed Tweets on your own site, and watch for them on your favorite websites.

Let’s Fly: TweetDeck

2011-12-16T11:05:00.000-08:00

TweetDeck is indispensable for tracking the real-time conversations about any given topic on Twitter. Last week we made TweetDeck available on the web for the first time.

Built with HTML5, the web version of TweetDeck syncs your accounts, columns, layout and settings whenever and wherever you sign in. And, TweetDeck now reflects the overall design of Twitter with Profile and Tweet box pop-ups.

Whether you are listening to conversations about a topic that impacts your business, or a journalist covering breaking news, TweetDeck on the web gives you an even simpler way to filter content. You can easily set up columns that track search results, trending topics, specific users, your own @mentions, favorites and more. You can also now open Tweets directly within a column to view media, conversations, favorites or retweets.

#ProTip: Need to send a Tweet later? You can choose to post an update at a specific time in the future using TweetDeck’s scheduling feature.

In addition to accessing TweetDeck from your browser, you can also download TweetDeck for your Mac or PC.

To learn about the changes to TweetDeck, how to get an account, and tips & tricks, check out this help center article support.twitter.com/articles/20169…
— TweetDeck (@TweetDeck) December 9, 2011

We will continue to enhance TweetDeck on the web, so follow @TweetDeck for updates.

Tonight in Iowa: tweeting the debates

2011-12-15T16:11:00.000-08:00

Political debates give citizens a way to hear from the candidates themselves on the issues that matter most. In the past, we’ve all experienced this important phase in the election cycle by gathering around the TV to watch candidates exchange views in real time.

Twitter helps you share the debate-watching experience more directly and powerfully by bringing you closer to the candidates, commentators and other voters. Tonight, you can weigh in with a Tweet as the debate progresses. At 9-11 p.m (ET) / 6-8 p.m. (PT), seven Republican presidential candidates will take the stage in Iowa and participate in the Fox News debate. Tell Fox News, the campaigns and pundits whether or not you think the candidates are really answering the questions.

Here’s how to do it:

When a candidate answers a question, tweet that person’s name with #answer (if you think they answered the question) or #dodge (if you think they, well, dodged the question). Example: “gingrich nailed that #answer” or “gingrich is avoiding the issue #dodge”.

Watch the live results over at live.foxnews.com.

If you want to continue to the join the conversation, include the debate’s official hashtag (#iowadebate) in your Tweet. Or just search for that hashtag on Twitter.com to see what everyone else is saying.

Another #protip for debate watchers tonight: follow the host Bret Baier and moderators Megyn Kelly, Chris Wallace and Neil Cavuto to get their perspective during the broadcast. And don’t forget to see what the candidates themselves tweet before and after the debate.

If you won’t be near a TV this evening, you can keep up with the debate’s big moments on your mobile device.

Let’s Fly: Mobile

2011-12-14T12:57:00.000-08:00

Last week we announced a new version of Twitter that provides a familiar experience across the web and mobile phones. We are rolling out the new version to Twitter.com over the next few weeks, and you can see it now on Twitter for iPhone, Twitter for Android and our mobile web app - mobile.twitter.com.

Here are some tips to help you enjoy the new version of Twitter on your phone.

Blue glow. A blue glow underneath any of the tabs means you have new Tweets (in Home), Interactions (in Connect), Stories (in Discover) or Direct messages (in Me).
Jump to the top. When you’re done scrolling through a tab, just tap the icon to jump to the top of that tab’s timeline. Double-tap a tab you’re not currently viewing to jump to the top of that timeline.
Tweet details. Want to find out more about a Tweet in your timeline? Tap a Tweet to go to the details page, which includes photos and video, conversations, linked web pages and the number of favorites and retweets the Tweet has received.

While this new version of Twitter scales across different platforms with a consistent navigation and actions, each app also has its own unique details.

#ProTip: Swipe up on the “Me” tab in the new version of Twitter for iPhone to see your direct messages. Swipe left to switch accounts.
— Twitter Mobile (@twittermobile) December 14, 2011

Learn more about the different Twitter mobile apps in our Help Center.

As we’re rolling out Twitter.com to users, some folks have wondered how they can get it sooner. Just download and log in to Twitter for iPhone or Twitter for Android, and you will get earlier access to the new version of Twitter on your computer. It takes some time to update, but once you’ve logged in to the app, just know it’s coming!

Let's Fly

2011-12-08T09:40:00.000-08:00

Update - 3:15pm PT
More news: Read about enhanced profile pages, on the advertising blog, and embeddable Tweets, on the dev blog.

Today we introduce a new version of Twitter. We’ve simplified the design to make it easier than ever to follow what you care about, connect with others and discover something new. You’ll see this new design both on Twitter.com and mobile phones, so that you’ll have a familiar experience any time, anywhere. We’ve also updated TweetDeck to be consistent with this new version.

Four new tabs bring you instantly closer to everything you care about. Visit fly.twitter.com to learn more about the changes.

We’ll be rolling out the redesigned Twitter over the next few weeks. You can see it immediately on the just-updated versions of mobile.twitter.com, Twitter for iPhone, and Twitter for Android. You can get early access on your computer by downloading and logging into Twitter for iPhone or Twitter for Android. We’re working on updates for other apps, such as Twitter for iPad, and will share news as they become available.

What we’re announcing today is just the beginning. We now have a framework in place that we will quickly build and iterate upon to help users connect with whatever is meaningful to them.

#letsfly

#YearInReview: Tweets Per Second

2011-12-06T13:00:00.000-08:00

Today’s installment of #YearInReview charts the top Tweets Per Second (TPS) of 2011.

The biggest moments on Twitter this year were live events and breaking news, when millions of people came together to watch significant events as they unfolded in real time. These moments range from natural disasters and geopolitical happenings to championship games, and reflect the way people turn to Twitter for a fast, simple way to communicate.

Beyonce’s pregnancy announcement on MTV's Video Music Awards in August broke the record for the highest TPS spike of all time: nearly 9,000 Tweets per second. Live sporting events accounted for six out of the top 16 TPS spikes, with the final game of the Women’s FIFA World Cup holding the TPS record for sports. Hard news, including word of Troy Davis’ execution (7,671 TPS) and Steve Jobs’ resignation (7,064 TPS), round out the list.

Visit our #YearInReview page to see a compilation of all of our lists to date, including the Year in Stories and Hot Topics.

#YearInReview: Hot Topics and Top Hashtags of 2011

2011-12-04T21:33:00.000-08:00

Today’s edition of Twitter’s #YearInReview highlights the leading topics and hashtags of the year. From news of Mubarak’s resignation in Egypt to buzz about which McDonald’s restaurants serve McLobster, the top trends that emerged on Twitter in 2011 reflect the diverse things that matter to us in our daily lives.

The list of Hot Topics and Top Hashtags charts the keywords that rose the fastest in conversation over the course of the year. This reveals what grabbed our attention most dramatically in 2011, and which events, inventions, changes and ideas made the deepest impression on us.

Among other things, we saw history unfold in the Middle East, mourned the passing of Elizabeth Taylor, celebrated National Whipped Cream Day, and cheered for the Dallas Mavericks, Texas Rangers and Wayne Rooney. We wondered about Charlie Sheen, speculated about the Sony NGP, and raved (or raged) about Rebecca Black. And we tYp3ed LyK tHi5.

More than anything, these trends demonstrate how Twitter connects people with common interests. Instead of watching the news, the Super Bowl and Pretty Little Liars at home alone, we watched them together on Twitter. We shared our thoughts about the world we live in, and we listened as others around the globe chimed in.

For more on how Twitter identifies trends, visit our help center.

#YearInReview: Who Joined Twitter in 2011?

2011-12-02T09:37:00.000-08:00

If you joined Twitter this year, you’re in excellent company: other new Tweeters include Nelson Mandela, Joe Biden, Plaxico Burress, Christina Aguilera, Salman Rushdie, New York Times Executive Editor Jill Abramson, and the Pope.

Today’s #YearInReview list highlights some of the leaders, athletes, entertainers, journalists and other notables who dove into the Twitter stream. And they’re just a few of the 100 million people around the globe who use Twitter to see what’s happening in the world right now, share stories and information instantly, and connect to anyone, anywhere.

If you’d like to see who else is on Twitter, check out our guide to Twitter's suggestions for Who to Follow.

#YearInReview: The Year in Stories

2011-12-01T09:45:00.000-08:00

The December edition of Twitter Stories highlights ten remarkable moments of 2011. From the man who inadvertently live-tweeted the raid on Osama bin Laden’s compound to the homeless dad who was reunited with his daughter after years of separation, this list, which doubles as the annual “Year in Stories,” chronicles how people use Twitter to make a difference in ways that are both personal and universal. Here's one story:

Around the world, people sent more than 60 billion Tweets in 2011, each one reflecting a particular perspective and point in time. To choose just ten of these to sum up the year is virtually impossible. Instead of attempting to identify the “most important” Tweets of the year, we’re recognizing ten Tweets that are emblematic of the many resonant moments that happened first on Twitter—or could only happen on Twitter.

As these instances show, a single Tweet can bring you closer to neighbors and heroes, immerse you in political change or disaster relief. You might even get a steak dinner where you least expect it.

If you’ve got a Twitter story to tell, use the hashtag #TwitterStories and follow us at @TwitterStories.

Discover: Thanksgiving

2011-11-23T14:40:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving Day is upon us—tomorrow families and friends across the U.S. will gather to feast, relax and watch football or movies. It seems like a good time to share all the ways to enjoy our national holiday of gratitude on Twitter.

It’s all about the food
Some of the most useful (and delicious) Twitter accounts to follow right now have to do with food, of course. From well-known foodies like Martha Stewart (@MarthaStewart) and Rachael Ray (@rachael_ray) to brands like @WholeFoods and @FoodNetwork, the pros are tweeting out the latest tips to help you cook, serve and survive in good form.

...and other fun
For sports fans, Thanksgiving Day is all about the NFL lineup. If you’re planning to watch all the games, follow your favorite teams on Twitter, and see what fans everywhere are saying about the game. Here’s more information about all things NFL and Twitter.

Naturally, amusing Thanksgiving-related hashtags are popping up. Search for #LiteraryTurducken, where people from all over are chiming in with book titles that combine three classic works into one, in the spirit of the classic Creole turkey+duck+chicken main dish.

Finally, here are our staff picks for Thanksgiving-related accounts we think you’ll enjoy. And by the way, we’re feeling grateful ourselves—thank you for making Twitter all that it is.

Once in a lifetime

2011-11-14T12:19:00.000-08:00

Increasingly people flock to Twitter to discover information and connect around occurrences like natural disasters, sporting events and cultural moments. And then there are times when Twitter is where you might go to experience an infrequent curiosity.

Take last Friday, which was November 11, 2011. Whether you were inclined to crack a joke about this rare binary occurrence, wax poetic about its meaning, or join in a global game to share photos at 11 a.m. and 11 p.m., numerology dominated the conversation.

This clip is a visualization of all the Tweets mentioning 11:11 on 11.11.11. Each “1” is a location that moves with the conversation on Twitter. Their scale varies depending on the volume of Tweets posted from the location they represent. You can see the main wave move from right to left, and then a second one that occurred at 11 p.m. around the world.

A special thanks to our own @miguelrios, whose visualizations of this data demonstrate moments on Twitter that can unite us all.

Introducing Twitter Stories

2011-11-01T09:30:00.000-07:00

Stories.twitter.com

Today we’re launching the first in a series of Twitter stories. Read about a single Tweet that helped save a bookstore from going out of business; an athlete who took a hundred of his followers out to a crab dinner; and, Japanese fishermen who use Twitter to sell their catch before returning to shore. Each story reminds us of the humanity behind Tweets that make the world smaller.

Tell us your story

Help us uncover more stories. Tell us how you or someone else have used Twitter in an interesting way. Submit your story by mentioning @twitterstories or by using the hashtag #twitterstories. Include a link to a photo or video that helps illustrate your story to the world. Each month we’ll curate a selection of profiles to share.

Follow @twitterstories to get the latest stories or check the site every month for a new collection.

Twitter, TV and You

2011-10-25T19:30:00.000-07:00

Twitter is transforming the way we watch TV. Reading and writing Tweets has become the new water cooler, helping us connect in real-time around our favorite shows, competitions and events. On Twitter, you get closer to the characters and shows you love, as stars, writers, directors, news anchors and more live-tweet from behind the scenes.

And now things are getting even more exciting for Twitter and TV — and more specifically fans of The X Factor USA. We've partnered with the show so that starting next week, you can cast votes for your favorite contestants via Twitter. Fans have taken to Twitter during live television events to voice their opinions with Tweets for years. Now you can officially affect the outcome of the show by voting for which contestants should stay and which ones need to go.

To vote, follow @TheXFactorUSA. Then submit your vote through a Direct Message (a private way to communicate on Twitter) so as not to spoil the results. All votes are sent directly to The X Factor to be counted. Tweets do not count as votes.

The easiest way to vote is by visiting twitter.thexfactorusa.com. We’re also featuring Tweets from the judges, the host and the final contestants to get inside every angle of the action. You don’t have to wait for voting to begin though. Join the conversation with other X Factor fans today with #XFactor and tell Simon what you think — he’s listening!

From singing competitions to awards ceremonies to dramas, watching your favorite shows is better with Twitter. In addition to tuning in to The X Factor on Twitter, here are other ways to get closer to your favorite television shows and stars:

TV stars live-tweet to give you a behind-the-scenes glimpse into what’s happening on your screen. From Kyra Sedgwick live-tweeting the summer’s finale of The Closer to Masi Oka bringing fans behind the scenes of Hawaii 5-0, stars use Twitter to talk to viewers and viewers are talking back.
#Hashtags organize the conversation. You’ve probably spotted hashtags on your television screen this year. From #DWTS to #BigBangTheory to playful hashtags like X Factor’s #BestMomentSoFar, hashtags are the front door to the shared conversation on Twitter. Search for them on Twitter and add them to your own Tweets to join in.
Twitter lets everyone become a TV critic, 140 characters at a time. Show creators, actors, producers and executives search Twitter to gather feedback — and they’ve been known to revise a show’s storyline based on what fans are saying.

We’ve collected best practices across the industry to help producers and TV executives keep innovating around Twitter and TV.

Twitter and iOS 5: Sharing made simple

2011-10-12T13:59:00.000-07:00

Twitter is now fully integrated into Apple’s new iOS 5 mobile operating system, available for the first time today. Now it’s even easier to share and read Tweets on your iPhone, iPad and iPod touch.

Simply enter your Twitter login information into your device settings, and you’ll always be connected to your Twitter account. This means you can tweet directly from Apple apps like Camera, Maps, Photos, Safari and YouTube, along with third party apps, such as Chomp, Flipboard, LivingSocial, Instagram, MadPad, PopSugar, Showyou, SoundTracking and Zynga's Words with Friends.

You can also take advantage of the latest version of Twitter for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, which now allows you upload images directly to Twitter (pic.twitter.com). Download the Twitter app now from the App Store.