Five things worth sharing from the last week or so, brought to you by a different member of the Browser Media team every Friday.
This week’s My Five is by Lisa.
1. People up in arms because Twitter upped character limit
I am not even slightly ashamed to admit that indulging in grandiloquent language is a guilty pleasure of mine. Therefore, I was extremely pleased to discover that Twitter is currently trialling a new 280-character limit on a selected number of user accounts in a bid to help people “easily express themselves”. However, not everyone shares my enthusiasm…
https://twitter.com/bicknaker/status/912805271658954754
https://twitter.com/Birdyword/status/912931248464699392
@TwopTwips @TwopTwips Practice practice using using up up all all 280 280 characters characters in in the the new new Twitter Twitter format format by by simply simply repeating repeating all all your your words words..
— Simon ?? ?? (@Mirthematician) September 27, 2017
If you are not one of the lucky (or unlucky) users who currently has access to allllllll the extra characters, then fear not, because some techy folks have discovered some sneaky workarounds so you too can tweet to your heart’s content. Well, if you can fit all of that content into 280 characters, that is.
2. Taxi for Uber!
According to “official scientific analysis of public opinion” which involved actual Human Analysts filtering through more than 51,000 online conversations and social media posts, Londoners are suffering feelings of “disbelief and exasperation” at Transport for London’s (TFL) decision to ban Uber.
I’m no Human Analyst myself, but I managed to come to a pretty similar conclusion when I opened up my Twitter feed following the Mayor’s announcement.
Uber leaves London. Thousands of media types simply wander into strangers cars and scream locations at them. Chaos ensues. London crumbles.
— TechnicallyRon (On all the platforms) (@TechnicallyRon) September 22, 2017
Me trying to get a taxi in #London now that #Uber is gone… pic.twitter.com/wPqNuGWuYq
— ? (@eaglemoustache) September 22, 2017
When a Black Cab driver tells you how much the journey home from Central London will cost. #Uber pic.twitter.com/bCG9U8nGKu
— Alex (@AlexndrJohnson) September 22, 2017
https://twitter.com/go_RobGreen/status/911174928988299264
3. Run, Hide, Tell
Police chiefs have issued a new campaign called Run, Hide, Tell, urging witnesses to flee from dangerous scenes, such as acts of terrorism, rather than reaching for their smartphones to take photos or videos.
Aimed primarily at a younger crowd, police are pushing for the message to be taught in schools and colleges as part of the ‘citizenship’ field of the national curriculum. An arsenal of promo materials is also being launched to help push the message, including a new emoji and the following video headed up by the likes of Jamie Vardy, Bear Grylls, et al.
4. Hugh Hefner passed away
Hugh Hefner, controversial character, and founder of the adult magazine, Playboy, passed away in his infamous mansion this week, aged 91.
Due to a watertight pre-nup Hef’s 31-year-old wife will not be inheriting any of his fortunes. Nope. Not even a pair of bunny ears.
The magazine first hit newsstand shelves in 1953, and by 1971 it was selling 7 million copies per month.
Hefner spent the early (more private years) of his career as a copywriter, and his glossy mag often featured finely written articles including regular contributions from other highly regarded writers, enabling its audience to claim that they bought the magazine for the words and not the pictures.
Breast In Peace Hugh Hefner
— Kevin Skaff (@Kevineffinskaff) September 28, 2017
5. #NationalPoetryDay
I struggle to keep up with all of many weird and wonderful “national days” that we’re supposed to be celebrating. But, it was #NationalPoetryDay yesterday, and amongst all the classic but unoriginal “roses are red” fodder, I did enjoy this little nugget of fun from the legend that is Alan Partridge.
https://twitter.com/skyatlantic/status/913365876421820417
