Microblogging site Twitter has finally introduced its most requested feature to date – ability to edit tweets. Named Edit Tweet, the feature will allow users to make changes to the tweets on the platform. Twitter says that the feature is being tested internally and will be rolled out in the coming weeks. “If you see an edited Tweet it’s because we’re testing the edit button..this is happening and you’ll be okay,” the company writes in a tweet announcing the new feature.
Users have been long demanding the edit button on Twitter. The Edit Tweet feature is a major addition to the microblogging platform since the character count for a tweet was increased from 140 to 280 in 2017. “We’re hoping that, with the availability of Edit Tweet, Tweeting will feel more approachable and less stressful. You should be able to participate in the conversation in a way that makes sense to you, and we’ll keep working on ways that make it feel effortless to do just that,” Twitter said in a blog post.
How does the Edit Tweet feature work?
At present, content once posted on Twitter can not be tweeted. One has to delete the entire tweet and post it again in case of any typos or changes. With the Edit Tweet feature, users will be able to modify content after posting a tweet without deleting it.
Tweets can be edited a few times in the 30 minutes following their publication.“Think of it as a short period of time to do things like fix typos, add missed tags, and more,” the company explains.
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Who will be eligible to use the Edit Tweet feature?
Will every Twitter user get this feature? No. Edit Tweet will not be available to all users, at least for now. In its blog post, Twitter says that Edit Tweet is being tested internally and will initially be expanded to Twitter Blue subscribers in the coming weeks. As part of their subscription, they receive early access to the feature. The test, the company says, will be localized to a single country at first and expand as we learn and observe how people use Edit Tweet.
In case you are unaware, Twitter Blue is a monthly subscription of $4.99 that offers exclusive access to premium features. It is only exclusive to the US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. The service is not available in India yet, which means that users in India will not be able to use the edit tweet feature.
The Edit Tweet feature will join Twitter Blue’s undo button which allows users to cancel sending a tweet for up to 30 seconds after hitting the send button.
Who can see if a tweet has been edited?
Everyone will still be able to see if a tweet has been edited. An edited tweet will appear with an icon, timestamp and label to make it clear to readers that the original Tweet has been modified. In case a reader wants to view the tweet’s edit history, he can tap on the label on the modified tweet. This will show past versions of the tweet.
Are there any concerns over the feature?
With more than 320 million active users, Twitter had long refused to add an edit button despite multiple requests from users. Former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey in an interview with Wired in 2020 said that the company would “probably never” add the “edit tweet” feature as it may lead to the spread of misinformation. Tech experts have also raised concerns over the edit button on Twitter. The campaign for the edit button gained momentum following a post by billionaire Elon Musk.
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