Twitter announced on March 10 that it would no longer be possible to view tweets in chronological order by default. Faced with the controversy, he finally announces that he renounces this change.
Update March 15, 2022:
Five days after announcing its intention to make its algorithm the default option, Twitter announces going back. The social network says it has understood that some of its users prefer to see tweets in chronological order, for example to find out in real time what is happening in Ukraine. Accordingly, the new tab-based display is discontinued. Twitter says it is now exploring other options but shouldn’t touch this aspect of its service.
Original article, published on March 11, 2022:
Since 2018, Twitter has allowed its users to choose between its algorithm and a timeline display. In the first case, Twitter suggests tweets to you based on your perceived interest. In the second, it turns into a news feed worthy of a super RSS reader. At the top of the thread, the most recent news; below, the more dated information. In its early days, Twitter was based on precisely this idea. He wanted to be an effective weapon for anyone who wanted to learn about the news in real time.
For some mysterious reason, Twitter has decided to change the way it works. Since March 10 on iOS, and soon on Android and the web, it is no longer possible to choose between algorithmic and chronological. By default, Twitter will always open to its custom view. You will have to go to the “Latest tweets” tab to access sorting by date of publication, which may gradually discourage some users who will accept its default algorithm.
More control for Twitter?
With this change, Twitter is re-emphasizing its algorithm after repeatedly admitting it has flaws. The social network, which is gradually moving away from its model of micro-messages by adding new options (voice, polls, direct, etc.), hopes no doubt to spend more time in its application to its users by making the timeline view less easy to activate. One can however wonder about the timing of this change. Given all the conflicts that the planet is currently going through, is it smart to make real-time information less accessible on Twitter, when journalists use it to inform? From another point of view, Twitter could say that its algorithm serves as a filter.
If you don’t support algorithmic posting on Twitter, you are left with the option of third-party clients. Software like Tweetbot, Twitterific, Talon or Tweetdeck take up the original vision of the social network. Unfortunately, they also lack many features that Twitter reserves for its own app.