Twitter is moving ahead with implementing an edit button, the social network’s most-requested feature.
It could be available soon, though there are questions about whether editing will be reserved for those willing to pay for it.
Twitter is finally getting an edit button
Twitter is the only one of the big social-networking platforms that doesn’t allow users to edit their posts. Facebook, Instagram, etc. all allow edits. But the only change possible to a tweet is deletion.
That’s going to change soon. “Edit Tweet is being tested by our team internally,” Twitter revealed in a blog post on Thursday. “The test will then be initially expanded to Twitter Blue subscribers in the coming weeks.”
The edit button will be a time-limited feature. “Tweets will be able to be edited a few times in the 30 minutes following their publication,” said Twitter.
No secret changes allowed
The blog post assures users that tweets that have been edited will be clearly labeled as such. Users won’t be able to say something outrageous, edit it, then try to pretend their comment was innocuous.
“Edited Tweets will appear with an icon, timestamp, and label so it’s clear to readers that the original Tweet has been modified,” notes Twitter. “Tapping the label will take viewers to the Tweet’s Edit History, which includes past versions of the Tweet.”
Is it free?
Edit Tweet will enter closed testing later in September. “We’re intentionally testing Edit Tweet with a smaller group to help us incorporate feedback while identifying and resolving potential issues,” said the company.
During testing, the feature will only be accessible to those who pay for Twitter Blue, which gives subscribers access to premium features for a $4.99-per-month subscription. This has raised questions about when or if average users will have access to Edit Tweet, or if it’ll be reserved for those willing to pay for it.
Twitter primarily makes its money from advertising: those sponsored posts that appear in user feeds. But additional revenue from subscriptions would surely be welcome.
