Twitter is testing a new feature called “Communities” via an invitation-only roll-out on iOS and the web, with Android to follow at some unspecified point. It will help users find and join groups with shared interests and direct tweets to them.
Twitter Communities resembles the group features of other social networks, like Reddit, Discord and Facebook. After joining a Twitter Community, you can tweet to that group of people. And you can peruse a “Home” content feed containing posts from other folks in the group.
Twitter Communities: by invitation for now
During this testing phase, joining Communities is by invitation only, Twitter said. Moderators and admins can send any number of invitations. Twitter members get five apiece per Community they can send by Direct Message.
During the test phase, tweets will be visible to the public, not just to the members of the group. That’s one way it currently differs from Facebook Groups, for example. The company has not said if or how that may change as it rolls out the feature.
Twitter said in a blog post:
Twitter Communities were created to give people a dedicated place to connect, share, and get closer to the discussions they care about most.
Communities are started and managed by people on Twitter — admins and moderators who enforce Community rules and keep conversations informative, relevant, and fun. People who accept invites to join a Community become members.
Tweets in Communities can be seen by anyone on Twitter, but only others within the Community itself can engage and participate in the discussion.
imagine an alternate timeline where everyone just gets you
say hi to Communities—the place to connect with people who Tweet like you. testing now on iOS and web, Android soon! pic.twitter.com/TJdKwUa4D2
— Twitter Communities (@HiCommunities) September 8, 2021
Expansion planned; start your own Community
Twitter said it plans to expand its select array of options provided at launch as times goes on. It said it encourages people interested in starting a Community to apply on its website.
Twitter Communities is available at launch with full support to iOS and web users. Android users can read Community tweets, but full functionality in the Android version of the application is yet to come.
Find it on iOS
On your iOS device, you can access Twitter Communities by tapping on a dedicated tab in the navigation bar at the bottom of your screen. However, you may not see that option yet, as the rollout appears to be gradual. You can also check to make sure you have the latest version of the Twitter app.
Learn more about Twitter Communities — what it is, who can join, how to use it — in the company’s support document.
