The ability to edit tweet is at the top of the Twitter community’s feature wishlist. It’ll probably never happen for a number of very good reasons… unless all of the 330 million-odd active users abide by one very reasonable request.
In a playful tweet from the official Twitter account this week, the company wrote: “You can have an edit button when everyone wears a mask.”
The company refers to the drive to ensure people in the United States – where mask use in public has some how become a question of your political affiliation – to act responsibly and with care for their fellow citizens.
Unfortunately for those hoping to edit out those typos and ill-considered angry tweets without having to delete and do-over, Twitter had an out. Everyone, it seems, means everyone.
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In a statement, the company told CNN: “As Twitter Comms Tweeted, everyone means everyone. Nothing further to add beyond this!”
everyone means EVERYONE https://t.co/nJh5qMV0us
— Twitter Comms (@TwitterComms) July 2, 2020
So why won’t Twitter allow people to edit their tweets and set the record straight? Well, given the service is often used by the rich, powerful and famous to make official statements, there’s a sense the original record must always be preserved. Especially while Donald Trump continues to deny saying things he has actually said on video, let alone given he ability to edit tweets.
“The answer is no,” said Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey during a Wired video FAQ, replying to the question of whether we’ll ever get an edit button.
“The reason there’s no edit button, and hasn’t been traditionally is that we started as an SMS, text message service,” he continued. “And as you all know, when you send a text, you can’t really take it back. We wanted to preserve that vibe and that feeling, in the early days.”
Are you among those clamouring for a Twitter edit button? Let us know why @trustedreviews on Twitter.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
