Twitter timelines are about to become more annoying, as the social network has joined Facebook and Instagram in supporting autoplay videos, Digital Spy reports.

Vine videos, GIFs and clips created through the firm's newly-launched video sharing tool will play automatically when the user scrolls over them.

Although autoplay is the new default, Twitter users can revert to the click-to-play setting by adjusting their personal preferences.

Twitter claims that the new feature will drive up engagement on the network, but advertising revenue is thought to be the main factor behind its introduction.

"By introducing autoplay and taking a stance on viewability, we think Twitter is now the premier platform for marketers to share and distribute the best video content in the world," David Regan, senior product manager at Twitter, said in a blog post.

The change is being ushered in on iOS and the web now, with Android users set to receive it shortly after.