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‘This is an edited tweet’: Twitter says it is testing the edit button

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Amrutha Pagad
Amrutha PagadSep 02, 2022 | 09:50

‘This is an edited tweet’: Twitter says it is testing the edit button

Twitter tests edit button feature. Photo: Twitter

Did you write a witty tweet and felt very good about it, only to find out that pesky little spelling mistake?

Did you write that fiery opinion, only to find out a small factual error?

Did you wish for the earth to just swallow you?

We have all been there. And it seems like Twitter has also just started to understand some of these very human embarrassing problems. 

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That's why Twitter announced on September 1, 2022, that it is FINALLY bringing THE 'edit button' to the platform. Yes, you heard it right. The most wanted or the most UNwanted feature - depending on how you look at it - is being tested at the moment in real-time. And no, this time Twitter is not just debating on the topic or putting up a Twitter poll question or writing a blog about it; they are actually testing it. 

In a blog post on Thursday, Twitter shared a screenshot of a tweet saying, "this is an edited tweet. we're testing it (sic)." 

Screenshot of the tweet.

What is Twitter's plan? Currently, the edit button is being tested internally on Twitter. 

Then, the edit feature will be expanded to subscribers of Twitter Blue by the end of the month. This expansion will only be limited to one country at the moment. Anyways, the Twitter Blue subscription isn't available in several countries including India. 

How will the edit button work? Twitter is the place where official announcements are made, by governments around the world and other personalities. It is the modern-day gospel. But for some Twitter users, a gospel that can be edited is a nightmare. Critics of the edit feature say it can be misused by users. 

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What if, a politician makes a problematic statement only to edit it later and wash his/her hands off responsibility and accountability?

What if, people like Elon Musk with the power to move markets, makes a statement that tanks a company's market value, only to edit it later, when investigated by regulators? 

The possibilities are endless. Even Twitter doesn't know how it can be misused. 

"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," Twitter said in its blog post. 

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.
- Twitter

Twitter has also addressed a few fears of people with an edit button: 

  1. Tweets can only be edited a limited number of times within 30 minutes of their publication. This means that you can't edit your day-old or years-old tweet that's become a problem. 
  2. Edited tweets will be labelled as such for readers.
  3. Viewers will also be able to view all versions of your tweet, including the original one. So, in essence, your embarrassing mistake or deliberate problematic statement is not really going anywhere. 

Twitter says, "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."

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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.
- Twitter

What the reaction has been? While some people are rejoicing over the announcement, others are worried. Critics say they will start taking screenshots of tweets they find interesting or problematic to preserve them and still hold the writer accountable. 

Would you exert so much energy as taking a screenshot and "quote-tweeting" a tweet or letting the screenshots take up space on your phone's memory? 

Last updated: September 02, 2022 | 12:54
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