[Updated] Twitter App Testing Hiding Reply Numbers Behind a Tap

[Update: Twitter has clarified that only engagement numbers for replies are hidden in the test, and that they’re still viewable with a tap from the user. It’s also a very early experimental test that may well never make its way to users, while the camera update is on the way this week. The original headline on this article read “In a Highly Unpopular Move, Twitter Plans to Hide Retweet and Like Metrics, Killing Ratios” and has been corrected accordingly. Original article follows.]

Twitter has announced some major changes coming to the social media giant, including a serious crackdown on Nazis and hate speech, as well as new directives for preventing women against harassment. JUST KIDDING! They’re not doing any of that. Instead, Twitter is taking steps towards “better conversation” with a series of updates that no one asked for.

The first change they are implementing is regarding smartphone cameras. Users will now have more options to enhance and personalize their photo and video content, much like other social media channels like Instagram and Snapchat. The app’s new prototype “twttr” allows users to color code replies and rounded, bubble-shaped replies, in an effort to make them easier to read.

But these new updates also remove the engagement numbers for retweets and likes to the public. Keith Coleman, Twitter’s head of consumer products, said, “We’re also actually working on changing the product and changing the policies to improve the health of the conversations.” The move is part of an effort to subdue accounts spreading hoaxes and conspiracy theories, but in actuality what Twitter is doing is killing the phenomenon known as “ratioing.”

Getting “ratioed” describes a large discrepancy in replies vs. retweets on a given tweet. It’s often used to highlight a tweet’s unpopularity, i.e. if you have way more replies than retweets, chances are your opinion is unpopular. Here’s @Briligerent’s explanation:

Many believe that the move is in response to complaints from high profile Twitter accounts, likes celebrities, billionaires, thought leaders, politicians, and our Twitter-loving president. Here’s what many users had to say on the subject:

Speaking of unpopular decisions and Twitter, CEO Jack Dorsey recently appeared as a guest on Ben Greenfield’s podcast. Greenfield is a notorious “fitness expert” who is also a vocal anti-vaxxer.

Dorsey’s endorsement comes at a time when other social media giants like YouTube, Pinterest, and Facebook are actively working to shut down anti-vaxxer pages and videos in light of preventable disease outbreaks sweeping the country. Even Amazon has pulled anti-vaxxer documentaries and literature from their collection. Great work, everyone.

(via NBC News, image: Pexels)

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Chelsea Steiner

Chelsea was born and raised in New Orleans, which explains her affinity for cheesy grits and Britney Spears. An pop culture journalist since 2012, her work has appeared on Autostraddle, AfterEllen, and more. Her beats include queer popular culture, film, television, republican clownery, and the unwavering belief that 'The Long Kiss Goodnight' is the greatest movie ever made. She currently resides in sunny Los Angeles, with her husband, 2 sons, and one poorly behaved rescue dog. She is a former roller derby girl and a black belt in Judo, so she is not to be trifled with. She loves the word “Jewess” and wishes more people used it to describe her.

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