Twitter to test new features encouraging conversations

MANILA, Philippines – Twitter in the coming weeks will launch a new program that will allow users to test new features in public, according to Engadget. 

The features include the previously announced online status indicators and “ice breaker” tweets that Twitter hopes will help spark healthy conversations and purge abuse on the platform.

The online status indicator feature lets people know when you’re on Twitter, similar to how Facebook Messenger lets you know when someone is active, as pointed out by The Verge.

Meanwhile, the “ice breaker” feature is a new spin to a pinned Tweet designed to encourage users to converse. For instance, you can pin an interesting question on top of your profile to get your followers to engage with you in debates or discussions.

Both of these will be available to those who will be part of the program. Anyone can apply to join but only a few thousand will be selected to participate.

Those selected will have to give Twitter feedback on what they think of the new features.  

And unlike the Twitter Experiments program, this new one will let participants share what they experience with users on their timeline.

“We’re making some pretty big changes to the way conversations look and feel on Twitter, and we don’t want to just unveil that one day – and what if you don’t like it or it’s not working for you?,” Twitter director of product management Sara Haider told Engadget at CES 2019. “We really want to bring our community along for this journey and be a part of this.” – Rappler.com