Twitter's latest change mimics TikTok and pushes algorithmic content first
Twitter's latest change mimics TikTok and pushes algorithmic content first
New tabs called 'For You and 'Following' have replaced 'Home' and 'Latest' on Twitter
➡️ The Shortcut Skinny: New Twitter update
🆕 Twitter is rolling out a new change, starting with iOS devices
👀 The old “Home” and “Latest” tabs have been replaced by “For You” and “Following”
🤔 “For You” is the new default option and brings in tweets from your followers as well as those driven by Twitter’s algorithm
👉 "Following” only includes tweets from people you follow but isn’t the default
If you’ve logged into Twitter on an iOS device today, you may have noticed a change to your timeline.
New tabs called “For You” and “Following” have replaced the “Home” and “Latest” tabs, which you could previously switch between by clicking on the old star button in the top right.
Although these two new categories are essentially the same as the old ones, the change makes the algorithm-driven “For You” tab the default feed. This brings in tweets from you users you follow, as well as content Twitter thinks you’ll enjoy.
Meanwhile, the “Following” tab, which can be accessed by swiping across the screen, only includes tweets from people you follow – which is likely the preferred setting of the majority of Twitter users.
While it’s definitely easier to switch between views – the old star button wasn’t very intuitive – it’s a shame that the “For You” tab is now the default whenever you open up the app. I personally only want to see the latest tweets from people I’ve chosen to follow or see tweets they’ve interacted with. I’m not interested in tweets that Twitter thinks I’d like.
The latest Twitter change will be familiar to anyone who uses TikTok. The incredibly popular short-form video app pushes algorithmic content to aid discovery, but it doesn’t seem like the most appropriate fit for Twitter.
Twitter CEO Elon Musk had previously promised that users would soon be able to “sideways swipe to see top, latest, trending and topics that you follow.” It appears that this change is the first step in making Twitter’s sections easier to navigate and more accessible.
The new Twitter feed is arguably one of the more conservative changes to the platform in recent months. Elon Musk previously reinstated Donald Trump, banned Kanye West from the platform (again), and finally managed to figure out a way how to clearly identify officials and businesses after giving everyone a blue checkmark for $8.