Twitter users currently have no option to edit their tweets after posting them, but company CEO Jack Dorsey doesn't rule out the possibility in the future.
Apparently looking for ideas on how to improve its service, the Twitter CEO turned to the millions of Twitter users to ask for suggestions.
Dorsey opened a lengthy discussion on Thursday, Dec. 29, asking users what they would like to see Twitter improve on or add to the platform in 2017. Unsurprisingly, one of the most highly requested features was an edit button, which would allow users to correct their tweets after posting them.
Facebook has been offering an edit button for a good while now, allowing users to edit their posts and comments at any given time, but Twitter has so far steered clear from this option. If you make a typo in a tweet, or when you just want to edit or clarify something after you've posted it, the only option is to either add a comment or delete the post altogether and replace it with an edited version.
Twitter previously explained that adding an edit option would have a negative impact on the overall experience, making it difficult for those who already retweeted or embedded the original post. Even so, the idea is still lingering and there's still hope that it will come true someday.
Quick Edit Or Revision History
Dorsey admits that the ability to edit tweets is the most requested Twitter feature of all time and it's mostly for quickly fixing typos or other mistakes. A quick fix would likely imply a small window after posting a tweet, during which users could edit their post. Allowing users to edit tweets at any time, meanwhile, would require a log to show revision history.
@AnthonyQuintano edit mistakes quickly or edit anytime? Big dif in implementation. Latter requires change log as we're oft the public record
— jack (@jack) December 29, 2016
Consequently, should Twitter ever enable some form of editing, it would either allow users to fix a tweet within a few minutes of posting, or let them edit it later and having the revision publicly displayed for everyone to see. Even if it's the latter version, would an edit history be a drawback?
Facebook shows the edit history as well, for instance, displaying modified posts with an "edited" label that users can click on to see what revisions have been made. That doesn't seem to deter users from editing their posts rather than deleting them and reposting a corrected version.
What About Bookmarks And Other Features?
Aside from an edit button, Twitter users have also been asking for an option to bookmark tweets or user accounts so they can easily find them later. At the same time, users have also requested increased security features and better options to fend off bullies and abusive tweets.
Twitter has already rolled out a quality filter a few months ago, aiming to enable users to counter online harassment and abuse, and it also opened account verification to all users in a bid to improve security.
Nevertheless, there's always room for improvement and Twitter is looking for new ways to deliver a better experience in the future.
It remains to be seen whether Twitter will finally add an edit button and, if it does, whether it will be a good idea. A bookmark button may have more chances of being implemented, but nothing's for certain just yet.
