Twitter announced that the company is testing an edit button for tweets.
On Thursday, Twitter tweeted, “If you see an edited Tweet it’s because we’re testing the edit button.”
The tweet continues, “This is happening and you’ll be okay.”
if you see an edited Tweet it's because we're testing the edit button
— Twitter (@Twitter) September 1, 2022
this is happening and you'll be okay
The company also published a blog post about the announcement.
“It’s true: Edit Tweet is being tested by our team internally. The test will then be initially expanded to Twitter Blue subscribers in the coming weeks,” the company wrote.
It continues, “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.”
The blog post goes on to address questions users might have, including what “Edit Tweet” is.
“Edit Tweet is a feature that lets people make changes to their Tweet after it’s been published. Think of it as a short period of time to do things like fix typos, add missed tags, and more,” the blog post stated.
According to the company, for the test, “Tweets will be able to be edited a few times in the 30 minutes following their publication.”
When it comes to who will be testing the feature, the company wrote, “Like any new feature, we’re intentionally testing Edit Tweet with a smaller group to help us incorporate feedback while identifying and resolving potential issues. This includes how people might misuse the feature. You can never be too careful.”
“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,” the company said.
The announcement sparked several reactions from users on the platform.
Pollster Frank Luntz tweeted, “Will this work on old tweets too? I have a couple tweets from Election Night 2016 that could use an edit.”
Will this work on old tweets too?
— Frank Luntz (@FrankLuntz) September 1, 2022
I have a couple tweets from Election Night 2016 that could use an edit. https://t.co/yLsw1LvYQv
Another user wrote, “Omg the Twitter edit button has arrived. The end of the world is near.”
Omg the Twitter edit button has arrived. The end of the world is near. https://t.co/EiYNDH9fkZ
— Ai dela Cruz (@aidelacruz) September 1, 2022
See more tweets below:
There is a God. https://t.co/JdWDOSkwKm
— Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) September 1, 2022
I'm not in favor, especially with journalists, corporations and politicians on the platform. https://t.co/8BlU6hblWR
— Charles Preston (@_CharlesPreston) September 1, 2022
Thank you, Lord. https://t.co/v7xSSiR6Bm
— Ida Bae Wells (@nhannahjones) September 1, 2022
OMG YES https://t.co/ljXbJcFK5Q
— Omid Scobie (@scobie) September 1, 2022
As we kick off a wave of discourse on the edit button I'm going to need you all to go back and look at how much you complained about 280 characters before immediately getting used to it. https://t.co/JtM5BqyyGs
— Paul McLeod (@pdmcleod) September 1, 2022
All this is “okay” for is abusers by allowing them escape the consequences of their actions.
— Maram AlBaharna (@maramperninety) September 1, 2022
It’s dangerous and a breeding ground for misinformation. https://t.co/M4SonLJJJJ
Twitter's commitment to an edit button is the biggest proof that it doesn't understand its own product. https://t.co/GbnTnkLVRx
— Arieh Kovler (@ariehkovler) September 1, 2022
Twitter initially announced it would test the feature in April.
