Twitter releases new features similar to Stories on Instagram, Facebook, Youtube, and WhatsApp called ‘The Fleet’. The tweet on this fleet will disappear in 24 hours and was recently tested in Brazil, Wednesday (4/3).
Whether this feature will be launched to users around the world or not depends on the test results in Brazil.
“Starting today in Brazil, we are testing the Fleets. A new way to start the conversation from the user’s mind,” the company explained in its blog.
Like Stories on Instagram, Fleets will also appear as a scrolling option at the top of the application. To create Fleet, users are limited to 280 characters of text like a normal tweet.
Users can also add photos, videos or GIFs. However, users cannot retweet, like or reply publicly. But, the user can reply to the fleet directly to the user’s private message. That is even if the user opens the option to receive messages from the public.
“During the initial testing many said that they became freer to reveal things that are lighter in their daily lives through Fleet because it will disappear,” explained Mo Aladham, Twitter Brazil Product Manager.
“We hope that people who normally feel uncomfortable tweeting can use Fleet to share what is on their minds,” Wired was quoted as saying.
However, this new feature got a negative reaction from Twitter users themselves. The hashtag #RIPTwitter even treads on the third most popular topic on the social media platform.
Some users in Indonesia complain that this new feature makes all social media features similar to each other.
This new feature is the most significant update since the birth of Twitter in 2006. Because, from then until now, Twitter users can only do one thing: throw a tweet. Although Twitter makes a feature update, the update is done to support the main function of making a tweet.
For real, though – what's the point of using different social media platforms if they're all gonna be identical to one another? #RIPTwitter 🤷🏻
— Cessi (@cessitaputri) March 5, 2020
Why is it trending?
“Rip Twitter / #riptwitter”
Because Twitter is adding 24h stories like other social media apps. They will be called “Fleets” pic.twitter.com/tSSyqvKhXg— Why is it Trending? ➐ (@whytrending2020) March 4, 2020
Source: Twitter
