Twitter is finally getting an edit button. It's only taken 16 years but at long last, the social media platform will be making it so users have the ability to edit Tweets after sending them.
As confirmed in a Twitter blog post, the Edit Tweet function will allow messages to be changed a "few times" during the 30-minute period following publication. Once this is done, an icon, timestamp and label will appear above a Tweet in an effort to make clear that an edit has taken place. By clicking on the Tweet's label, users will also be able to see the complete history of the Tweet.
"The time limit and version history play an important role here," said Twitter as part of the announcement. "They help protect the integrity of the conversation and create a publicly accessible record of what was said."
The Edit Tweet feature is currently being tested internally, however, the company confirmed that it will then roll out to Twitter Blue subscribers. This is a monthly paid subscription to the site, which is currently priced at $4.99 / £2.49 / AU$6.99.
Twitter further stated: "Given that this is our most requested feature to date, we wanted to both update you on our progress and give you a heads up that, even if you’re not in a test group, everyone will still be able to see if a Tweet has been edited."
"We’ll also be paying close attention to how the feature impacts the way people read, write, and engage with Tweets," it added.
One question that remains is how this will affect Retweets, where you repost another person's Tweet to your timeline and followers. If a message is edited after a Retweet, is the user notified? Or is it removed altogether? You can only imagine some of the things people will try if this isn't implemented correctly. Hopefully, we'll find out soon.
No release date for Edit Tweet was announced, outside of those that subscribe to Twitter Blue. I'm an optimist so would like to think it will become public by the end of the year if successful.
