Twitter finally unveils edit button: here's what we know

The microblogging site is doing internal testing and aims to offer the feature to Twitter Blue subscribers, its paid tier, later this month

Twitter Blue is currently available only in Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the US. AFP

Twitter is testing its much awaited “edit tweet” feature, the company confirmed on Thursday.

The microblogging site is doing internal testing and aims to offer the feature to the subscribers of its paid tier, Twitter Blue, later this month. As part of their subscription, users receive early access to new features and help Twitter test them.

Twitter Blue is currently available only in Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the US.

The San Francisco-based company said it hopes that with the “edit tweet” feature, “tweeting will feel more approachable and less stressful”.

“Given that this is our most requested feature to date, we wanted to both update you on our progress and give you a heads up that, even if you’re not in a test group, everyone will still be able to see if a tweet has been edited,” the company said.

“The test will be localised to a single country at first and expand as we learn and observe how people use edit tweet. We’ll also be paying close attention to how the feature impacts the way people read, write and engage with tweets.”

How does the new feature work?

The new feature will allow people to make changes to their tweets after they have been published.

Tweets can be edited “a few times” in the 30 minutes following their publication, Twitter said.

Edited tweets will appear with an icon, timestamp and label to ensure that it is clear to readers that the original tweet has been edited or modified.

Tapping the label will take viewers to the tweet’s edit history, which will include past versions of the tweet.

“Think of it as a short period of time to do things like fix typos, add missed tags, and more,” the company said.

“For context, the time limit and version history play an important role here. They help protect the integrity of the conversation and create a publicly accessible record of what was said,” it added.

Who will be testing the feature?

Twitter said it is intentionally testing the feature with a smaller group of users to help it “incorporate feedback while identifying and resolving potential issues”.

The company will also be paying attention on how people might misuse the new feature and take remedial measures, it said.

Following the initial internal testing, Twitter Blue subscribers, as part of their subscription, will receive early access to the new feature.

What is Twitter Blue?

Launched in June last year, Twitter Blue is a monthly subscription that gives users exclusive access to premium features. The subscriptions are paid on a monthly basis. In July, the company announced that it was increasing the pricing for Twitter Blue’s subscription from $2.99 to $4.99 per month.

The company already offers Twitter Blue subscribers an “undo tweet” button that gives them a 30-second window to withdraw a tweet after posting it.

When will the “edit tweet” feature be rolled out for public use?

Twitter has not disclosed when the new feature will be available to the platform’s unpaid users. It is also not clear when the Twitter Blue service will be rolled out in new markets.

The company is currently focusing on user privacy and is attempting to offer customised services to increase its user base.

Last month, it launched a new feature called Twitter Circle, which allows people to share their tweets to a smaller, select audience. It works similarly to Instagram’s “close friends” function in that it limits how many people can see a post.

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