Twitter tests out feature to let you toggle between latest and top tweets

Not a lot of people like how Twitter used the algorithmic approach to show tweets, while some people feel too clogged with the chronological approach. To appease both sides, Twitter is testing out a way to toggle between the latest and top tweets. Twitter is bringing this feature to some iOS users. If you’re part of the trial, you’ll see a new icon at the top right corner of the app. Tapping this option will let you “Switch to latest Tweets” or “Switch to top Tweets.” This will make it easier to switch between one that relies on Twitter’s algorithm and another based on chronological order. We actually like this implementation so here’s to hoping Twitter brings this feature to all users.

Twitter counts emojis equally now, no matter what gender or race

Emojis have gotten more and more inclusive but there is a quirk in the way Unicode handles emojis with some taking up more characters than others. This wouldn’t be much of a problem but with Twitter’s 280 characters, this might dissuade people from using the ones they identify with and go back to using the default colours and genders. You see in some cases, the more inclusive emojis end up taking more than two characters than the original yellow one. Emojipedia notes that an emoji on its own can take two characters but then you add a skin tone modifier that adds two more, and then you add a gender on top of that and that increases to nine characters all in all. What Twitter has done is treat all of these as two characters. It might be considered a small move but it does encourage people to use a more identifiable emoji in their tweets.

Source: The Verge

Twitter fixes bug that might have shared some users’ direct messages to third-party developers

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For one percent of Twitter’s users, their interactions with some brands on direct message might have been shared to third-party developers. Twitter shares news about a bug that became active sometime in May 2017 until Sept. 10, 2018. It affected the interaction between users and accounts or businesses that used the Account Activity API (AAAPI). This API is designed for customer interactions. Twitter clarifies that it hasn’t affected other DMs and it will notify affected users through the app or website if they have been affected. The company is also getting in touch with the developers who got affected.

Twitter tests out new web interface

Twitter desktop in night mode, what do you think?

Twitter looks to be trying something out on its web interface and bringing some previously mobile exclusive experiences into the space. The social network just shared a photo of the new look on Twitter and shows the Explore and Bookmarks tabs coming to the web—both were previously available just on mobile. And if you look closely, the night mode and data saver mode are also coming. Although, it might be weird to see data saver mode on the desktop, since this doesn’t seem to be much of a need for desktop users. But then again, Twitter is just testing out features for now and it’s available to a limited number of users. You can also see that the Trends and Who to follow section have been moved to the right. Business Insider reports that the test users need to opt-in to see this new look.