Tag Archives: twitter features

Twitter now allows Direct Messages from strangers

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A lost functionality returns to Twitter, the ability to send direct messages to complete strangers, and the Internet ponders whether or not this is a good idea.

The social network of the blue bird has revealed through a press release on their blog that they have a new idea for direct messages, explaining how they are going to work from now onwards. And, just like in 2013, everyone is going to be able to direct message everyone: a functionality that lasted only for a month, until the company decided to remove it.

This time around it will be different, though. Users will be able to specify in their configuration menu whether or not they want to allow strangers to message them – a functionality that can be activated or deactivated at will.  Furthermore, it will remain inactive by default, and users have to purposefully go out of their way to enable it if they consider this is a good idea.

This “new” function will basically turn Twitter into an instant messaging service, so we wonder if they intend to take Facebook’s WhatsApp head-on, or if this is just an “innocent” service , aimed to give the fans and users a few more liberties in the world of Twitter.

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Twitter’s new feature: “While you were away”

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Twitter is playing with a new facebook-like feature, meant to increase user engagement: “While you were away” recaps relevant tweets you might have missed.

Twitter’s new features are starting to roll out, amongst those ‘While you were away’. This is a recap of tweets an algorithm considers relevant to the user, and the user might have missed. This new featured is already being tried and enjoyed by several users around the world, especially on mobile platforms. Everything seems to suggest this feature will roll out soon for all users.

The way this feature works is similar to Facebook’s highlights, where an algorithm chooses the best or most relevant posts from a time period the user was away: that is, they pick the “best” tweets (based on engagement and the users’ own Tweets, we suppose), and stick them to the top of their timeline. “Every time you open the Twitter app, you’ll see something great,” was how they explained it when they announced the feature coming now on early 2015.

Now we’ll have to wait and see just how good this algorythm is, but we’re sure there’s going to be many, many detractors if previous changes to what’s already known and tested are any indication.

Via TechCrunch

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