Micro blogging platform Twitter has asked it members to use fewer characters to express themselves.
Previously, including a web link cut the number of characters available in each tweet from the full 140 to 120. Now when Twitter members want to share a URL there are only 118 left in which to add commentary.

If the website being linked to uses the more secure "https" protocol , there are now only 117 characters, where previously there were 119, the Telegraph reports.

The change was announced to web developers in December, but has been implemented now.

When members post a link, Twitter automatically "wraps" it in another link beginning t.co, even when another URL-shortening service such as bit.ly is used.

According to the paper, Twitter said that this process allows it to protect the service from malicious websites that might spread computer viruses and track the most popular links being shared.