Twitter Testing 'Original Tweeter' Tag to Identify Who Started a Thread

[MacRumors]

Twitter is testing a new feature it hopes will make it easier for users to work out who started a thread.

The new tag, which has begun appearing for some users of the platform, identifies the "original tweeter" in a thread.

Twitter hopes the feature will make it easier to distinguish accounts that pretend to be the person who started a thread, which may also help prevent certain types of abuse on the platform.

Twitter confirmed the experiment to TechCrunch, and said that it had rolled out the feature to a "small percentage" of iOS and Android users.

"Twitter's purpose is to serve the public conversation. As part of this work, we're exploring adding more context to discussions by highlighting relevant replies - like those from the original Tweeter," Twitter's director of product management Sara Haider told TechCrunch in a statement.

The "original tweeter" tag appears to be the latest fruits of the company's new beta app, in which a select group of users gain get access to new features within a standalone app, where they can test and talk about them with others.

Twitter is using what it learns from the beta app to decide whether to make the tests part of full-blown product features for its wider user base.

The first beta is focusing on testing a new design for the way conversation threads work on Twitter. New interface elements currently under review include a different color scheme and visual cues to highlight important replies.

Article Link: Twitter Testing 'Original Tweeter' Tag to Identify Who Started a Thread

 

[Enclavean]

Good idea actually

 

[Bin Cook]

How about scanning tweets for the same construct and tagging original tweeter to combat plagiarism?

 

[HacKage]

How about scanning tweets for the same construct and tagging original tweeter to combat plagiarism?

How do you combat the thousands of tweets from people talking about the same subject? It is not possible. Where I am it is pretty icy and there are hundreds of tweets saying it's like an ice rink, dangerous conditions etc. All of these tweets would need to be scanned and one random person would be credited, and bombarded with notifications because they are the original tweeter.

 

[12vElectronics]

I like this idea. I often find myself trying to locate who the original poster was.

 

[Porco]

If it helps, it wasn't me.

 

[Steve686]

How about scanning tweets for the same construct and tagging original tweeter to combat plagiarism?

Same construct doesn’t matter. If ANY tweet gets retweeted, you still have an “original tweeter” for that particular tweet, not subject as a whole which is not what Twitter is trying to do.

 

[CrystalQuest76]

Stop using twitter and instagram and be a better person.

 

[C DM]

Stop using twitter and instagram and be a better person.

What does being any type of person have to do with someone using something like Twitter or Instagram?

 

[Steve686]

Stop using twitter and instagram and be a better person.

Ya spend time on an internet tech forum and tell someone else to be a better person. Total logic.