Twitter set to roll out edit button, begins testing

Twitter, a social media site, has started testing an edit button on the app in preparation for rolling out the feature later this month. This is in response to the button’s users’ ongoing requests for it.

After a Tweet has been published, users can edit it using the Edit Tweet function. It’s a brief window of opportunity for tasks like adding missing tags and fixing mistakes, according to Twitter.

For the test, the company explains that Tweets will be able to be edited a few times in the 30 minutes following their publication. Edited tweets will appear with an icon, timestamp, and label so it is clear to readers that the original Tweet has been modified. Tapping the label will take viewers to the Tweet’s Edit History, which includes past versions of the Tweet.

It adds that the time limit for the editing would help protect the integrity of the conversation and create a publicly accessible record of what was said.

Announcing the testing, Twitter in a blog post said, “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.

“Later this month, we’ll be expanding Edit Tweet access to Twitter Blue subscribers. As part of their subscription, they receive early access to features and help us test them before they come to Twitter. The test will be localized to a single country at first and expand as we learn and observe how people use Edit Tweet. We’ll also be paying close attention to how the feature impacts the way people read, write, and engage with Tweets.”

“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,” it added.

Twitter will be starting the rollout with its Twitter Blue user, who are paid subscribers to the platform. Twitter Blue is currently available only in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the U.S., and the firm has not disclosed its rollout plans to its unpaid users.