Twitter

The World's Most Innovative Companies 2017

Twitter may have made its name through 140-character musings in text, but the social network is betting big on the future of video. In 2016, Twitter extended the maximum of length of videos posted to the service from 30 seconds to 140 seconds and doubled-down on live-streaming with its mobile app Periscope. In the fourth quarter of 2016 alone, Twitter doled out 600 hours of live video and reeled in 31 million viewers. It capitalized on its natural role in the news cycle and became a destination for millions during the presidential debates, election night, and the 2017 presidential inauguration. By forging media partnerships with the likes of Disney, the NFL, and BuzzFeed, Twitter is doing everything it can to ensure that people’s ever-distracted eyeballs remain fixated on its video content during major pop-culture moments, sporting events, and news breaks.

Lists

2017: Live Events, Sports, Video

2014: Top 50, Education, Social Media

2012: Top 50, Media

2011: Top 50, Media, Video, Web

2010: Top 50, Web

2009: Web 2.0

Data

staff: 3,900

users: 313 million

headquarters: San Francisco, California

Competition: Facebook

Twitter On The Web

Twitter

Stories about Twitter

Twitter finally suspends Alex Jones–but only for one week

The DNC’s legal team just subpoenaed WikiLeaks on Twitter

Alex Jones content that prompted bans vanishes from Twitter

Jack Dorsey called Hannity to explain Twitter’s info wars

Brand WTF of the week: Twitter decides to help Alex Jones spread lies

Although several other corporations moved to de-platform Alex Jones this week, Twitter contends it’s up to journalists to debunk the known misinformation-spreader. How nice for journalists!

Despite tech backlash, Twitter still won’t ban Alex Jones

Well, this Fox & Friends Twitter poll on “Medicare for All” didn’t go as planned

Tweeting on Facebook just got harder–here are 2 ways you can still do it

Twitter wants to know why Twitter is so toxic

Twitter’s user growth just took a big hit

Trump threatens to “look into” Twitter for shadow banning Republicans

Trump’s Iran tweet quickly and deservedly became an ALL-CAPS meme

Facebook, Google, Microsoft, and Twitter team up for Data Transfer Project

VC guy urges Elon Musk to calm the f*ck down

Donald Trump’s Twitter following is dropping bigly—and he’s not alone

Deaf activist Nyle DiMarco praises Pornhub for accessibility move

Why sex workers are ditching Twitter for Switter—and why it matters

Capital Gazette shooting: Obsessive, grudge-filled Twitter account finally gets pulled

Of course Jack Dorsey published Notes screenshots to Twitter

Jimmy Fallon responded perfectly to Trump’s salty tweet about him

The normally apolitical, all-smiles-all-the-time host of The Tonight Show showed a new side in his tweet about the president.

Ideas

We have an ethical obligation to end individual animal suffering

Giving new life to vacant buildings can boost struggling towns

As companies become purpose-led, where does that leave charities?

Entertainment

It appears as though Pearl Jam might not be fans of Donald Trump

“Generation Wealth” examines the new (and depressing) American Dream

Amazing: After 40 years, Aerosmith’s tour bus turns up in the woods

Co.Design

Building Burning Man looks way more fun than attending

This foot surgeon invented killer heels that won’t kill your feet

Design is never neutral

Fast Company

Why Samsung’s big round smartwatch will be roundly dismissed

Pentagon’s artificial intelligence programs get huge boost in defense budget

Here’s an insanely huge library of every political ad on Google