The Conversation (0)
Sirena Bergman
May 20, 2020
iStock
With people stuck indoors, more of us are communicating via our devices than ever before.
It makes sense, then, that the tech companies would be keen to capitalise on the new audience.
This is presumably what Twitter is trying to do, by rolling out a new feature.
Oooohh, I hear you exclaim. How exciting! Maybe it's one of the things people have been asking for...
Is it an edit button? A notification preview? A better way of embedding tweets in articles that doesn't make you want throw your computer through a window?
Nope, nope and definitely nope.
it's the one thing that literally no one wants: the ability to stop people from replying to tweets.
In an animation published this evening, Twitter attempted to explain this bizarre new feature, which basically allows you to have group chats in public, because all anyone wants on the timeline is to see strangers having a chat you can't get involved in, right?
Testing, testing... A new way to have a convo with exactly who you want. We’re starting with a small % globally, s… https://t.co/gnXTkZVB7A— Twitter (@Twitter) 1589992275
People were very much not into this idea, with some pointing out that it could undo all the work social media platforms have done to avoid the dangerous spread of misinformation.
@Twitter This is basically allowing people to spread misinformations and hide the truth without the fear of someone… https://t.co/PENLH9Lxpb— action taker | ia (@action taker | ia) 1589993613
@Twitter this is terrible. it's going to encourage bad behavior and terrible takes and no one till be able to call… https://t.co/fM8rCGonbt— W.A. ً 🔞 (@W.A. ً 🔞) 1589992750
@Twitter Things we ask: . Edit button Things investors ask . Improved reach to get to the public Things we all NE… https://t.co/NpIgG10fSh— Verano (@Verano) 1589996770
Although there is actually a crucial flaw (hack?) to the whole thing...
And many continued to beg for the changes we actually want.
@Twitter Now can you let us make a tweet visible only to people on a list?— Ella 🏳️⚧️🏳️🌈♿️ (@Ella 🏳️⚧️🏳️🌈♿️) 1589996200
@theomcx @Twitter ye we really need the spoiler thing, if there was a spoiler option on twitter then we wont get spoiled new movies— Adnamie (@Adnamie) 1589997502
@Twitter okay but what about an edit button? https://t.co/wiOIXsJJiE— ✧ l e a h ✧ (@✧ l e a h ✧) 1589992389
@Twitter We just want folders for our bookmarks..... https://t.co/1JJySkh2VC— DREY⁷ 🪐 (@DREY⁷ 🪐) 1589993745
In general, people were just upset by how it would change the dynamics of the platform, which is built upon the notion of people being able to jump into conversations.
@Twitter This is not acceptable ,there’s no freedom to reply any tweet you want again 😭— Dehkunle Of Africa 🧸🔺 (@Dehkunle Of Africa 🧸🔺) 1589992335
@Twitter I’m going to have so many terrible opinions now that I can’t get ratiod— James Felton (@James Felton) 1589994531
@Twitter Replies are what makes Twitter interesting. Imagine IG without Twitter screenshots. https://t.co/Bd3V2tPbt6— Arnoldi (@Arnoldi) 1589992453
RIP weird new Twitter feature. We barely knew you, but we don't see you taking off any time soon.
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