Twitter has introduced new perks for its Twitter Blue subscribers, including higher-ranking replies and the ability to upload videos up to 60 minutes in length. While Twitter support has stated that these priority rankings will help reduce the visibility of scams, spam, and bots, some users have raised concerns that the new system may diminish the experience for non-paying users or potentially assist spammers, trolls, and others in amplifying their messages.
soon, subscribers with the blue checkmark will get priority ranking in search, mentions, and replies to help lower the visibility of scams, spam and bots
— Twitter Blue (@TwitterBlue) December 12, 2022
In addition to the new reply ranking feature, Twitter has also increased the length and size limitations for videos uploaded through its platform. Previously, videos were limited to 10 minutes and 512MB, but the new rules allow for videos up to 60 minutes and 2GB, with a resolution of up to 1080p. However, these changes only apply to web users, as the 10-minute limit remains in place for Android and iOS users. Twitter also notes that it may modify or adapt original videos for distribution, syndication, publication, or broadcast by the company and its partners, and may also adjust the bitrate/resolution based on a viewer’s internet speeds.
Elon Musk has previously stated that Twitter plans to eventually pay creators for uploaded videos, potentially offering even more than the 55 percent cut provided by YouTube. However, it is currently unclear how this payment will be made, whether through ads or other means, and how Twitter may address potential piracy issues, particularly given the recent reduction in its moderation team.
