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In A Shock Move, Twitter Adds An Edit Button To Tweets
The social media giant has finally backtracked after years of pressure and will first roll out the new Edit Tweet feature to premium subscribers.
It’s taken years of complaints and thousands of desperate pleas from a vocal portion of Twitter’s 237 million active users, but now, the social media giant has finally caved under pressure. After nearly 16 years of sticking to a tried and tested format, Twitter will finally allow users to edit Tweets after posting them.
If it were any other platform, adding such a tiny, seemingly inconsequential feature would largely go unnoticed. Yet, because we’re talking about Twitter here, the move represents one of the most significant changes to the social media landscape since the company doubled the character limit of posts from 140 to 280 way back in 2017.
Many would argue that the lengthier Tweets and new addition of an edit button will change the platform into something it was never meant to be. Certainly, the entire atmosphere of the site will (and already has) changed since its niche beginnings — though it’s always been a place for spicy takes and online brawls.
So why the sudden change of direction? Here’s what the company had to say about the controversial matter:
“We’re hoping that with the availability of Edit Tweet, tweeting will feel more approachable and less stressful. You should be able to participate in the conversation in a way that makes sense to you,” says Twitter in an official statement.
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We should mention at this point that not everyone will be granted access to this mythical new feature. Employees will first test the edit button; then, it will be added to the accounts of Twitter Blue subscribers. Eventually, Twitter plans to roll out the Edit Tweet feature to its entire user base, though we don’t have any formal word on a date for that.
Users will be allowed to edit Tweets within a 30-minute window of posting, and any changes will trigger a label to be displayed, notifying readers that a change has been made. If the label is clicked, you’ll be able to see a list of edits, so the new feature won’t entirely save you from embarrassing spelling mistakes or attempts to tone down poorly judged online rants.