Twitter reacts to rumours of a Facebook-style algorithm
Ever since Twitter first launched, tweets have been presented in reverse chronological order.
But according to the internet jungle drums, the service is preparing to change how you experience the timeline by auto-editing your feed with a new algorithm.
Effectively Twitter will show you tweets that it ‘thinks’ you want to see. According to BuzzFeed News, it’s happening imminently. As early as next week.
Back in October, Twitter attempted to sort tweets by topic with its newsy Moments tab – a feature which has been widely derided. Don’t even get me started on ‘Who To Follow.”
It is unclear whether Twitter will force users to use the algorithmic feed, or it will merely be an option.
Here’s what users are saying about it…
https://twitter.com/aurosan/status/695793601486446592
Twitter is switching to an algorithm to build a timeline for my interests which is cool except I've already done that with the FOLLOW button
— Steve “Dangle” Glynn (@Steve_Dangle) February 6, 2016
All the best.#RIPTwitter
We don't want Twitter to look like this.
Your users
Dear Twitter.
— Nick Harvey (@mrnickharvey) February 6, 2016
Twitter algorithm:
[(things you genuinely like) x 0] + [sponsored tweets]² + [Donald Trump retweeting white supremacists]³ * [Kardashians]
— Dave Itzkoff (@ditzkoff) February 6, 2016
TWITTER:
-I don't want an algorithm feed
-I don't want a larger than 140 character limit
-What I want is A DAMN EIDT BUTON— Joseph Scrimshaw (@JosephScrimshaw) February 6, 2016
https://twitter.com/ProfJeffJarvis/status/695796211907956736
My @twitter algorithm is already working great, showing me curated tweets about how much everyone hates algorithmic curation of tweets.
— jesse spector (@jessespector) February 6, 2016
A look at Twitter before and after the algorithm news: pic.twitter.com/tAkAbNuNe1
— Stormchasernick (@stormchasernick) February 6, 2016
https://twitter.com/Smomotion/status/695816906155126784
*twitter adds algorithm to show by tweets by relevance*
*feed is completely blank*— FRO VO (@fro_vo) February 6, 2016
https://twitter.com/Timcast/status/695822369038979072
Twitter is in a relationship with Facebook and "it's complicated."
— Jenny Johnson (@JennyJohnsonHi5) February 6, 2016
TWITTER ALGORITHM PROCESSING pic.twitter.com/0mDKDiU0xR
— Zandar vs. The House GOP Circus Of The Damned (@ZandarVTS) February 6, 2016
Can you imagine algorithm Twitter on election night? With hours-old information trumping new? Dated exit polls trumping new results?
— Sarah Kendzior (@sarahkendzior) February 6, 2016
https://twitter.com/kerihw/status/695877109470855169
Go home Twitter, you're drunk!#RIPtwitter 🐦 pic.twitter.com/kNdJZ7FN5G
— ▪️pH1▪️ (@pH1Online) February 6, 2016
Hopefully Twitter's new algorithm will use the same intelligent technology that created 'Moments' and 'Who To Follow' #TwitterAlgorithm
— The Poke (@ThePoke) February 6, 2016