VIDEO: Twitter lifts 140-character limits on direct messages

Twitter lifted its character limit for direct messages between users, saying it would help make the private side of Twitter "more powerful and fun."

"While Twitter is largely a public experience, Direct Messages let you have private conversations about the memes, news, movements and events that unfold on Twitter," Agarwal added.

For now, the changes apply to Twitter users with Android and Apple mobile devices, online at twitter.com or on the TweetDeck application, although Agarwal said the change "will continue to roll out worldwide over the next few weeks."