Twitter timeline feature prioritizes tweets that you might want to see
Just the other day, Twitter users were up in arms about news that Twitter wanted to prioritize tweets using an algorithm, a method of content delivery very similar to what Facebook does.
The hashtag #RIPTwitter trended on Saturday night as many users seemed to imply that the change would be the end of Twitter.
Whereas Buzzfeed declined to name their source when they reported on Friday, they seem to have had reliable Intel on this as Twitter has just confirmed it.
Starting today you can choose to try our new feature, so you’ll never miss important Tweets from people you follow: https://t.co/fS1axkDiUh
— Twitter (@twitter) February 10, 2016
In a statement on their blog, Twitter seems to believe users want this feature.
“You follow hundreds of people on Twitter — maybe thousands — and when you open Twitter, it can feel like you’ve missed some of their most important Tweets. Today, we’re excited to share a new timeline feature that helps you catch up on the best Tweets from people you follow,” the blog post read.
They went on to say, “We’ve already seen that people who use this new feature tend to Retweet and Tweet more, creating more live commentary and conversations, which is great for everyone.”
When I read the “About your Twitter timeline” support article, I realized that this feature has already been active for some users in form of “While you were away” section. I have seen it in my own account. I also confirmed that they choose these tweets based on accounts you interact with most, Tweets you engage with, and other considerations that they don’t mention.
You can adjust your setting for Show me the best Tweets first by doing the following:
Log in to your account on twitter.com and go to your Account settings page.
Under Content, look for Timeline and toggle the box next to Show me the best Tweets first to change the setting.
For other devices check out more instructions here.
I personally like the feature as it doesn’t really change your whole Twitter experience, just the first few moments. When you log in after a while, you see the selected tweets first but if you aren’t in the mood for catch up at that time you simply scroll down to the live action.
It’s only a matter of time till we know whether it will work or will be the demise of Twitter.
