(SPOT.ph) Unlike social media platforms that focus on video and photos, Twitter puts a prime on words. So much so that it doubled its character limit from 140 to 280 in 2017. It has become an arena for spreading information (and misinformation, unfortunately) through threaded Tweets, long-ass explanations, and even whole articles that you otherwise see on websites. And for the longest time, some users had to deal with the fact that the platform doesn't have an edit option. But on September 1, 8:40 p.m. (Philippine time), @Twitter posted: "if you see an edited Tweet it's because we're testing the edit button this is happening and you'll be okay"—sans period and commas.
They've also teased about it way back on April 2:
Also read:
From Karaoke Nights to Debates: How #BanlawSpaces Provides Sanity Amid Lockdown
But the possibility of soon having a Twitter Edit button is getting mixed comments:
Others don't agree that it should happen, saying that problematic tweets should remain on the Internet forever as a form of evidence. Plus, it may or may not be a catastrophe, as one user pointed out.
But others are just extremely excited. (We see you, social media managers.)
How the Twitter Edit button works:
According to Twitter, the Edit Tweet feature is being tested by their team internally. "The test will then be initially expanded to Twitter Blue subscribers in the coming weeks," they added. You only have "a short period of time to do things like fix typos, add missed tags, and more," specifically 30 minutes following the publication of a tweet. That effectively dismisses any hesitation about editing archaic tweets. "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."
Who can test the Twitter Edit button:
Like previous changes, Twitter is only testing the feature with a small group that can help them with feedbacks and resolving potential isses. It also minimizes the threat of people misusing the beta feature.
After internal testing, the Edit Tweet will be available to Twitter Blue subscribers (i.e. paid users). "As part of their subscription, they receive early access to features and help us test them before they come to Twitter." Testing will start in one country, then later expand as Twitter tries to figure out how to best code the feature based on how people "read, write, and engage with Tweets."
"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, and we’ll keep working on ways that make it feel effortless to do just that," Twitter finally said.