Twitter is a big kid now! This week the platform celebrates its 10th birthday, managing director at Twitter Australia Karen Stocks looks back at the biggest moments on the platform,the biggest changes in the platform over its 10 years and her personal favourite people to follow.
“We’re very excited to be celebrating our 10th birthday but I really want to make sure people know this isn’t about Twitter it’s about our users on the platform, the brands, the agencies, the media partners. We’re very aware that our success is based on them,” Stocks told B&T.
“Twitter has changed the way people communicate by removing all boundaries so regardless of who you are, you now have a voice on a public platform. So we’ve seen a whole democratisation of communication, no matter who you are- whether you’re an under represented minority or not – you have a voice and a seat at the table.”
Starting in on 3/21 and moving across the , we thank you for 10 incredible years.
Love, Twitter#LoveTwitterhttps://t.co/pH4WWdgK6q
— Twitter (@twitter) March 20, 2016
Thanks for making Twitter the world’s biggest political debate chamber #LoveTwitter #auspol https://t.co/p5wvkr9zD6 pic.twitter.com/S5RkxUNpII
— Twitter Australia (@TwitterAU) March 21, 2016
For Stocks the biggest changes for Twitter in the past 10 years have been advances in technology which expanded the ways people use the platform.
“When it was created 10 years ago, and the reason Twitter is 140 characters, was based around the size of an SMS. That was a technological constraint. What we see today is that Tweets are so much more than 140 characters; its rich media, live Periscope, Moments, GIFS. The biggest thing we’ve seen take off in the platform in the past 12 months is video.”
Looking forward to the next 10 years, Stocks and the Twitter teams “will continue to work with all our partners to make sure we’re still being that live connection to culture asking the world ‘what’s going on now’ and delivering the information where it is relevant in the easiest and engaging format”.
just setting up my twttr — Jack (@jack) March 21, 2006
Who are Stocks’ top five people to follow on Twitter?
Lee Lin Chin
Just decided to win the gold next year, I deserve it #TVWEEKLogies
— Lee Lin Chin (@LeeLinChinSBS) May 3, 2015
Lisa Alexander (coach of the Australian Diamonds)
Congratulations to @TheMatildas we are all so proud of your efforts so far! Keep it up! @AussieDiamonds #GoingForGold #Rio2016 — Lisa Alexander (@CoachLisaA) March 7, 2016
Julie Bishops
A little tired and emojinal ? https://t.co/3WeOY5sGi1
— Julie Bishop (@JulieBishopMP) September 17, 2015
“I love her use of emojis”
Jared Schwartz
I’m the most exciting facilitator in the world!! pic.twitter.com/rwuzjBixgC — Jared Schwartz (@hapfrap) March 15, 2016
“He tweets from the US, he puts really funny tweets out and when I see them they put a smile on my face and I haven’t even met the guy”.
Jack Dorsey
Twitter & Square oppose discrimination in all forms. @GovernorDeal: do the right thing and VETO House Bill 757. Proud to be an #LGBTQAlly!
— Jack (@jack) March 18, 2016
“I love following Jack. He is such an inspirational leader of the company, when we hear him talk about the product and what he’s seeing and his vision its inspirational.”