Twitter is internally testing an edit feature that will allow users to modify tweets for up to 30 minutes after publication, the social media company announced in a tweet.
if you see an edited Tweet it’s because we’re testing the edit button
this is happening and you’ll be okay
— Twitter (@Twitter) September 1, 2022
“Think of it as a short period of time to do things like fix typos, add missed tags, and more,” the company said in a blog post.
A feature high on users’ wish lists for some time, edited tweets will follow Facebook’s lead and display an icon, timestamp, and label to indicate original tweets have been modified.
“We’re hoping that, with the availability of Edit Tweet, tweeting will feel more approachable and less stressful,” Twitter said in the blog post. “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.”
Edit Feature Will Initially Only Be Available to Twitter Blue Subscribers
Currently undergoing internal testing to identify and resolve potential issues, Twitter plans to expand Edit Tweet access to Twitter Blue subscribers.
Users of the opt-in paid monthly subscription will receive early access to the feature as part of their subscription and ongoing testing.
“The test will be localized to a single country at first and expand as we learn and observe how people use Edit Tweet,” Twitter said in the blog post. “We’ll also be paying close attention to how the feature impacts how people read, write and engage with tweets.”
Concerns About Misuse
One of the reasons Twitter has been so slow in developing an edit feature is concerns about misuse. For example, people could edit a viral tweet to include spam, misinformation, or harassment after it has already been shared thousands of times.
Twitter hopes that its 30-minute edit timeframe and the inclusion of version history will prevent abuse in this manner and “help protect the integrity of the conversation and create a publicly accessible record of what was said.”
Edit Feature Will Help Maintain Post Momentum
Social media professionals and personalities can use the edit feature to correct typos and add hashtags to published (and potentially liked and shared) tweets without deleting and reposting.
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