Twitter Gets Onto 360-Degree Video Bandwagon, Starting With NBA Finals

Micro-blogging website Twitter has partnered with the US major sports league NBA and South Korean company Samsung to roll out 360-degree videos shot exclusively with Samsung's Gear 360.

Beginning with Game 1 of the NBA finals on Thursday, Twitter cards will now link out to videos shot with 360-degree cameras, allowing users to click and drag around the scene, technology website The Verge reported.

Twitter is promising "exclusive content" over the course of the series.

To watch 360-degree videos, you will be directed away from Twitter's app or website to a separate website to view them.

The partnership sees Twitter trying to take on rival Facebook that has already hosted native virtual reality videos on its platform.

Last year, Twitter joined hands with NBA to create the NBA Finals Timeline where you could see related Tweets, commentary and expert analysis, plus exclusive video and Vines.

Earlier this week, after facing much criticism for temporarily suspending the parody accounts of famous politicians, including President Vladimir Putin in Russia, micro-blogging website Twitter reinstated all the accounts.

Protesters were dismayed they were being denied the satirical delights offered by these accounts, especially President Putin's.

Twitter had suspended parody accounts of President Putin @DarthPutinKGB and other Russian-themed parody accounts, including @SovietSergey - a lampoon of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and @AmbYakovenkoNot - which mocks the Russian ambassador to Britain, Alexander Yakovenko, BBC reported.