• Keeping our users secure

    Friday, February 01, 2013

    As you may have read, there’s been a recent uptick in large-scale security attacks aimed at U.S. technology and media companies. Within the last two weeks, the New York Times and Wall Street Journal have chronicled breaches of their systems, and Apple and Mozilla have turned off Java by default in their browsers.

    This week, we detected unusual access patterns that led to us identifying unauthorized access attempts to Twitter user data. We discovered one live attack and were able to shut it down in process moments later. However, our investigation has thus far indicated that the attackers may have had access to limited user information – usernames, email addresses, session tokens and encrypted/salted versions of passwords – for approximately 250,000 users.

    As a precautionary security measure, we have reset passwords and revoked session tokens for these accounts. If your account was one of them, you will have recently received (or will shortly) an email from us at the address associated with your Twitter account notifying you that you will need to create a new password. Your old password will not work when you try to log in to Twitter.

    Though only a very small percentage of our users were potentially affected by this attack, we encourage all users to take this opportunity to ensure that they are following good password hygiene, on Twitter and elsewhere on the Internet. Make sure you use a strong password – at least 10 (but more is better) characters and a mixture of upper- and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols – that you are not using for any other accounts or sites. Using the same password for multiple online accounts significantly increases your odds of being compromised. If you are not using good password hygiene, take a moment now to change your Twitter passwords. For more information about making your Twitter and other Internet accounts more secure, read our Help Center documentation or the FTC’s guide on passwords.

    We also echo the advisory from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and security experts to encourage users to disable Java on their computers in their browsers. For instructions on how to disable Java, read this recent Slate article.

    This attack was not the work of amateurs, and we do not believe it was an isolated incident. The attackers were extremely sophisticated, and we believe other companies and organizations have also been recently similarly attacked. For that reason we felt that it was important to publicize this attack while we still gather information, and we are helping government and federal law enforcement in their effort to find and prosecute these attackers to make the Internet safer for all users.

    Updated 4:47pm: Corrected detail on disabling Java in penultimate paragraph.

    Posted by Bob Lord (@boblord)
    Director of Information Security
  • Sunday’s Showdown: Follow the action on & off the field

    Thursday, January 31, 2013

    Are you part of the @ravens’ lively #RavensNation, or are you on joining the ride for the @49ers’ #questforsix? Or maybe you’re more excited about the halftime show and the commercials? Whatever is bringing you to the TV on Sunday, you’ll find unprecedented access, entertainment, and team spirit on Twitter. With over 13 million Tweets during last year’s game, the Super Bowl is one of the biggest events on Twitter. Twitter shines most during unpredictable live events — and few things are as unpredictable as the Super Bowl. With dramatic plays on the field, superstar performances, buzzworthy commercials, and millions of passionate fans, Twitter is the place to be.

    To get started, you’ll want to follow your favorite players and the team you’re rooting for: the @49ers roster is here; the @ravens team list is here. You can also explore and follow players, teams, and stars on the game’s Discover page.

    Their performance on the field is one thing; players (past and present!) are just as exciting to follow on Twitter:

    Who has louder fans on Twitter? It’s a tight race: since the conference championships, there have been just about the same number of mentions of each team, with a slight edge going to the @Ravens. The @49ers are winning another closely-watched contest: in the #HarBowl (or #BroBowl, if you prefer), there are three times as many Tweets about @49ers coach Jim as his brother John at the @ravens:




    Of course, Sunday is about more than game itself: The commercials and the halftime show starring @Beyonce are favorites of millions. Our Twitter Ad Scrimmage is back for a second year to let you see and vote on your favorite ads running during the game. Follow @AdScrimmage to see Tweets with each of the ads appear in your timeline (which is great if you missed seeing any while you were making more wings) or visit our Ad Scrimmage page after the first commercial break, and then vote on your favorite ones with a Tweet using each ad’s unique hashtag. Voting closes Tuesday night at 11:30pm Eastern, so make your voice heard early and often.

    Last year, Madonna performed at halftime, which generated more than 100,000 Tweets per minute. This year’s musical stars are already generating a lot of buzz:

    Whether in joy or agony, join the chatter on Twitter this Sunday. (And speaking only for myself: Let’s go @49ers!)

    Posted by Omid Ashtari (@omid)
    Head of Sports & Entertainment
  • Updates for viewing photos and videos

    Wednesday, January 30, 2013

    Today, we’re rolling out several enhancements that make it easier to view photos and videos on Twitter — in particular, on profiles and in search results.

    • Large photos, right on the page. Click a photo from a profile page or in search results to see a larger version of that photo without leaving the page.

    • Video. Media galleries now include videos from Vine, YouTube, Vimeo, and other partners whose videos appear in expanded Tweets.  


    What’s more, tweet pages now let you see more of the conversation related to a Tweet. Check out this Tweet from @jimmyfallon, asking users to tweet embarrasing stories, or this Tweet from @NickKristof, asking why there are so few female bosses. Scroll down to view more replies to the Tweet, and you can see replies to those replies too.

    Posted by
    David Chen (@chenosaurus)
    Software Engineer
  • #OnlyOnTwitter: State Department changes

    The beginning of a new term in Washington marks changes in many of the government’s highest offices. Yesterday was noteworthy at the US Department of State, as outgoing Secretary of State Hillary Clinton held her last Town Hall, and Senator John Kerry was confirmed as the new Secretary. Of course, both occasions played out on Twitter. Secretary Clinton solicited questions via #AskState (@StateDept dubbed it #GlobalTownHall):

    Meanwhile, on Capitol Hill, @JohnKerry was unanimously approved by the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee and 94-3 by the full Senate to become the next Secretary of State. Many of his current & future colleagues tweeted the process as well as their congratulations once his confirmation became official:

    Posted by Bridget Coyne (@bcoyne)
    Government, News & Social Innovation Team
  • Twitter Transparency Report v2

    Monday, January 28, 2013

    Last July we released our first Twitter Transparency Report (#TTR), publishing six months of data detailing the volume of government requests we receive for user information, government requests to withhold content, and Digital Millennium Copyright Act-related complaints from copyright holders.

    Since then we’ve been thinking about ways in which we can more effectively share this information, with an aim to make it more meaningful and accessible to the community at large. In celebration of #DataPrivacyDay, today, we’re rolling out a new home for our transparency report: transparency.twitter.com.


    In addition to publishing the second report, we’re also introducing more granular details regarding information requests from the United States, expanding the scope of the removal requests and copyright notices sections, and adding Twitter site accessibility data from our partners at Herdict.

    We believe the open exchange of information can have a positive global impact. To that end, it is vital for us (and other Internet services) to be transparent about government requests for user information and government requests to withhold content from the Internet; these growing inquiries can have a serious chilling effect on free expression – and real privacy implications.

    It’s our continued hope that providing greater insight into this information helps in at least two ways: first, to raise public awareness about these invasive requests; second, to enable policy makers to make more informed decisions. All of our actions are in the interest of an open and safe Internet.

    Posted by Jeremy Kessel (@jer)
    Manager, Legal Policy
  • This Week on Twitter - Jan. 28

    On most Mondays, this series alerts you to key things happening on Twitter in the coming week. A live chat with the cast of your favorite TV show, a Q&A with a candidate or author, a pro sports team Tweepstakes — this is the way to keep current on the can’t-miss moments on Twitter for the week ahead. - Ed. 

    Monday, Jan. 28 
    In honor of the 2014 World Cup, which is 500 days away, international soccer superstar Pelé (@Pele) will be hosting a “500 days away” Twitter celebration. Pelé, along with other sports influencers, will be taking questions and tweeting to fans throughout the day.

    Tuesday, Jan. 29; 8:00 p.m. ET 
    Brian Malarkey (@BrianMalarkey) from The Taste (@TheTasteABC) will be live-tweeting during the show. You can follow and tweet along using the hashtag #TeamMalarkey.

    Thursday, Jan. 31; 9:00 p.m. ET
    As we mentioned last week before Project Runway’s (@ProjectRunway) season premiere, the team from Lifetime (@lifetimetv) will be launching Runway Recall, a new online game you can play while watching the show. Of course, you’ll need a Twitter account to play.

    Ongoing
    ABC’s #ScriptTease ABC (@ABCNetwork) has a new weekly initiative called #ScriptTease: they will tweet a portion of the script for an upcoming episode. Follow along using the hashtag for a sneak peak of your favorite shows. Here is an example:
    Check back next week for more!

    Posted by Alexandra Valasek - (@AlzValz)
    Communications

  • Vine: A new way to share video

    Thursday, January 24, 2013

    Today, we’re introducing Vine: a mobile service that lets you capture and share short looping videos. Like Tweets, the brevity of videos on Vine (6 seconds or less) inspires creativity. Now that you can easily capture motion and sound, we look forward to seeing what you create.

    You can read more about the app on the Vine blog. Vine is currently available on the iPhone and iPod touch. You can download it for free from the App Store. We’re working now to bring it to other platforms, so stay tuned for that.

    Rather than tell you more about the app, we thought we’d just show you some of our favorite videos:







    Posted by Michael Sippey (@sippey)
    VP of Product
  • #OnlyOnTwitter: Inauguration Day

    Tuesday, January 22, 2013

    Tweets from yesterday’s Presidential Inauguration offer a glimpse into the pageantry that swept D.C. Whether they were dignitaries seated onstage or citizens lining the streets, plenty of people shared pictures that captured the spirit of the day.








    And finally, it turns out that sometimes one hashtag is worth a thousand words:
    Posted by Bridget Coyne (@bcoyne)
    Government, News & Social Innovation Team
  • An update to embedded Tweets

    Tweets bring you closer to what’s happening around the world, from breaking news to global conversations. With embedded Tweets, you can see and interact with Tweets across the web. We often embed Tweets here on our blog to highlight great Tweets, photos and other content shared on Twitter; you can embed any Tweet on your website too.

    Today, we’re introducing several enhancements that make embedded Tweets more engaging, useful and fast:

    More content and context. Embedded Tweets display photos, videos, article summaries and other content shared in a Tweet, just like you see on twitter.com. You can also view retweet and favorite counts to better understand engagement, and we’ve made some tweaks to the design so that embedded Tweets are easier to read.

    Faster loading. You’ll see Embedded Tweets show up faster on the sites you visit.

    Embed with ease. It’s now even easier to embed a Tweet on your own website. Just click the "More" button in any Tweet on twitter.com, and then select “Embed this Tweet” to enrich your blog posts or pages. You can do the same on TweetDeck.

    If you use embedded Tweets frequently, check out these tips.

    Posted by Brian Ellin (@brianellin)
    Product Manager
  • The Road to Super Bowl XLVII

    Monday, January 21, 2013

    Twelve teams are down to two as the @49ers and @Ravens punched their tickets to Super Bowl XLVII in New Orleans.

    For three weekends, NFC and AFC playoff teams faced off to battle for their conference championship titles, and as they did, fans flocked to Twitter to support their teams and get closer to the action.

    The two hottest games for Twitter buzz during the playoffs were the @Ravens vs. @Patriots and the @49ers vs. @Falcons, raking in nearly 4 million Tweets collectively. The playoffs’ most popular players on Twitter? @RayLewis ranked first for chatter, followed by @rgiii, Tom Brady and @M_Ryan02.

    Throughout the playoffs, Twitter is where fans, athletes, commentators and more went before, during and after the game for all things NFL.






     Check back soon for more as we get closer to the #SuperBowl!

    Posted by Omid Ashtari (@omid)
    Head of Sports & Entertainment