Twitter Announces The Introduction Of The Edit Button
Twitter announced it’s testing an edit button, an idea former CEO Jack Dorsey had originally resisted fearing the spread of misinformation if tweets were altered after being widely shared, according to The Hustle.
A common Twitter gripe has been that the only way to fix a typo is to delete and repost, which is frustrating if it’s already going viral or spurring conversation.
Twitter’s edit button will roll out among Twitter Blue subscribers, who get early access to features, later this month. It’s unclear when the rest of the world will get it.
Safeguards to alleviate concerns that people will edit tweets to spread misinformation:
i). Changes can be made only 30 minutes after posting the OG tweet
ii). An icon, time stamp, and label will show it’s been edited
iii). Tapping the label will show the edit history
Why’s it matter?
The move aligns Twitter with other platforms. Facebook’s edit button came in 2013. Reddit lets you edit posts, but not titles. Youtube? Edit to your heart’s content.
In 2020, Dorsey said Twitter was different in that it began as an SMS platform. Because you couldn’t recall texts, Twitter should maintain that “vibe.”
But that vibe is fading. Apple announced that, with iOS 16, users will be able to recall iMessages.
The rollout will be gradual, starting with internal testing for Twitter employees. Twitter Blue subscribers will go next and eventually everyone will be able to edit tweets, although the company didn’t say when.
