Founded in 2006 by Jack Dorsey, Biz Stone, and Evan Williams, Twitter began as a microblogging service allowing 140-character messages (expanded to 280 in 2017). After Elon Musk's $44 billion acquisition in October 2022, the platform was rebranded as "X" in July 2023, reflecting Musk's vision of an "everything app" integrating social media, payments, and AI services.

Twitter official Website‌: https://twitter.com

Key statistics (as of 2025):

450 million monthly active users
500 million tweets posted daily
Available in 40+ languages
Headquarters in San Francisco (with global offices)

Core Features and Mechanics

Tweet: The fundamental unit (text/video/image up to 25MB) Retweet: Content sharing mechanism Hashtags (#): Topic categorization system Trending Topics: Algorithmically generated based on engagement Spaces: Live audio conversations Communities: Interest-based groups Blue Checkmark: Verification/subscription hybrid ($8/month)

Technical architecture:
Real-time feed powered by machine learning
Customizable algorithms (chronological/"For You" options)
API for third-party developers (with limitations)

Cultural and Political Impact

Twitter/X has become the digital public square, influencing:
Journalism: Breaking news often surfaces first on Twitter
Politics: Used by world leaders for direct communication
Activism: #MeToo, #BlackLivesMatter gained traction here
Entertainment: Viral memes, celebrity interactions

Notable events:
Arab Spring (2010-2012)
Trump's presidency tweets (2016-2020)
Musk's acquisition drama (2022)

Business Model Evolution

Historical revenue streams:
Advertising (90% of pre-2022 revenue)
Data licensing
Twitter Blue (subscription)

Post-acquisition changes:
Heavy emphasis on X Premium subscriptions
Payment system integration (X Pay)
Creator monetization programs
Controversial cost-cutting measures

Current Challenges

Content moderation: Balancing free speech and harmful content
Bot proliferation: Ongoing issues with automated accounts
Competition: Threads, Bluesky, Mastodon alternatives
Revenue instability: Advertiser exodus post-acquisition
Technical issues: Frequent service outages

The platform continues evolving under Musk's "hardcore" management style, with recent AI integrations and cryptocurrency features testing user adaptability.

Potential developments include:
Full-fledged banking services
Advanced AI chatbot integration
Decentralized social media protocols
VR/AR interface experiments