Twitter Adds a Heart for Users to 'Like' Tweets

— -- Twitter wants users to start liking tweets.

The social network announced today it was dropping the star on tweets -- which saved it as a favorite when a user clicked it -- in favor of hearts that signify "likes."

"We want to make Twitter easier and more rewarding to use, and we know that at times the star could be confusing, especially to newcomers. You might like a lot of things, but not everything can be your favorite," Akarshan Kumar, a Twitter product manager, said in a blog post.

The move comes as Twitter tries to grow its 300 million strong monthly active user base. Kumar said he hoped nixing the star in favor of the heart would make it easier for newcomers to engage on Twitter.

"The heart, in contrast, is a universal symbol that resonates across languages, cultures, and time zones. The heart is more expressive, enabling you to convey a range of emotions and easily connect with people," he wrote. "And in our tests, we found that people loved it."