Twitter

What is Twitter?

Twitter is a social media service that lets you publicly share short posts or tweets that are limited to 280 characters of text. In addition to text you can include links, images, videos, location data, key words and polls in your tweets. You specify these by placing a hashtag before the word or phrase. Once posted, a keyword becomes a link that brings up other tweets posted by users containing that keyword.

By default, your tweets are publicly available (even without a Twitter account), and can be linked to, shared and embedded in websites. Other Twitter users can tweet responses to your tweet, as well as liking it or retweeting it. Retweeting means it will appear in their feed, attributed to you. Mentioning a user by placing an ‘@’ before their username will alert them and when posted, will make the mention a link to their profile. Twitter also has direct messaging which allows you to have private conversations, and a live streaming app called Periscope.

Website: twitter.com

Apps: Android app, Apple iOS app

How do people use Twitter?

Learn more about the benefits and risks associated with how people use content sharing services like Twitter.

Twitter is used for: content sharing, live streaming, location sharing, messaging/online chat, online relationships, and photo/video sharing.

How can you report online abuse, ask for content to be removed or block someone?

• Report a tweet or direct message
  Twitter lets you report abuse or inappropriate content in a tweet or direct message using the icon at the top of the content.
• Report a user
  How to report abusive or harassing behaviour on Twitter.
• How to block accounts on Twitter
  Control who you interact with on Twitter and stop specific accounts from contacting you.

How can you protect your personal information?

• Profile visibility settings
  Outlines what information on your profile is visible publicly and what items on your profile allow the visibility to be configured.
• Public and protected tweets
  Outlines the difference between public and protected tweets and who can see them.
• Twitter privacy
  Learn how to make your account as secure as possible.

Key safety links

• Safety and security
  Offers a range of general help, safety and security information when using Twitter including, hacking, spam, sensitive content and abuse.
• Twitter rules
  Rules and policies relating to Twitter including, guidelines and enforcements options.
• Terms of service
  Outlines the rules you agree to by using Twitter.
• Privacy policy
  Outlines how Twitter collects and uses your data.