Twitter headquarter’s in San Francisco.
James Martin/CNET
Following a discussion on Twitter can seem like a task, particularly if numerous users are responding to a tweet at the exact same time.
Twitter CEO and co-founder Jack Dorsey saw direct how tough it is to do that recently when he responded to concerns through tweets from Recode co-founder Kara Swisher for more than 90 minutes. Walt Mossberg, a veteran tech reporter, mentioned on Twitter that the interview was “a living example of how Twitter is a chaotic hellpit.”
The social networks business is attempting to repair this issue with assistance from its own users. On Wednesday, Twitter stated it is accepting applications for a program that will enable users to check brand-new functions targeted at making it simpler to discover and follow discussions.
Twitter has actually been checking out including color to replies. An individual who sends the preliminary tweet will see their actions in gray, while their fans’ replies will remain in blue. The business is likewise taking a look at a brand-new style for replies in addition to offering the replies a rounded look to make the discussions appear more “chat-like.” Some of the modifications are more subtle, like caving in a reply to tweets and providing a reply without sharing choices and other information unless a user taps to see them.
Making the website simpler to utilize might assist Twitter keep individuals there and draw in brand-new users, however the business still deals with an uphill struggle. Like other socials media, such as Facebook, Twitter is likewise facing larger issues consisting of harassment and election meddling. Twitter saw its month-to-month active users drop to 321 million in the 4th quarter from 326 million in the 3rd quarter in the middle of a crackdown of phony accounts. Twitter stated previously this month it will stop launching month-to-month active user numbers and rather report its day-to-day active users (126 million).
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A Twitter spokesperson said the company has been working for some time on ways to make it easier to follow conversations, but Dorsey’s recent interview “reinforced the need for conversations improvements.” Twitter tweeted a link Wednesday to an application for what it calls the “conversations prototype testing program.”
The company is looking for a variety of users to test the new features, including those who use Twitter often and others who don’t. Most of the participants will be English or Japanese speakers, according to the company. Users will give feedback through a form or tweets.
The features Twitter users are testing may not be released to the public or could change. If the testing is successful, it may be months before any of the features are released to the public.
“These changes are meant to be approachable, chatty, and easy to understand – or maybe they’re not,” a Twitter spokesperson said in a statement. “You tell us.”
