twitter

Twitter’s latest test changes ‘Retweet with Comment’ so it looks more like a Reply

Twitter’s new prototype testing program isn’t the only way it’s working to fix conversations on its site. The company confirmed it’s currently running another public-facing test focused on making Twitter “more conversational” – but this time with Retweets instead of Replies. The test involves using a thin line to connect a quote-style retweet to the person commenting on the tweet, instead of placing the quoted tweet in a box as before.

Here are some visual aids.

Today, when you comment on a tweet you’re reposting, the original tweet is boxed in like this:

The new test sees Twitter eliminating the box entirely, and connecting the comment to the tweet using the same sort of line that is used today with Replies.

For example, here is a before and after of the change. (Click through to the tweet to view the images larger). You can see the original look on the left, and the update using the line on the right:

We asked Twitter if this was a permanent change or just a test, and a spokesperson confirmed it was the latter.

The test was available on Android on Tuesday of this week, but began rolling out to iOS users yesterday.

Despite the launch of the new testing program, the company said it would continue to A/B test various conversational features and other changes within its public app.

“The fact that we’re doing this [Twitter prototype testing program] doesn’t mean that we don’t do regular testing – like we do with all our development processes in our regular app all the time,” Sara Haider, Twitter’s director of product management, had noted in an interview at CES in January.

The prototype program, meanwhile, serves as more of an experimental testing grounds where Twitter users are able to directly influence the development process with their feedback and opinions.

Twitter had learned over the years that some of the best ideas come from the community itself. Many of its products – including @ Replies, the hashtag (#), tweetstorms (now “threads”), and Retweets (originally “RT”) – were developed in response to how people were already using Twitter. Now, Twitter hopes to tap into the hive mind to build whatever else in coming next.

But not all of Twitter’s changes are community-driven. (After all, I’m not sure anyone was really all that concerned about how Retweets were displayed.)

That means you’ll still see Twitter testing smaller changes like this one in the public app.

Whether or not the lines will eventually come to replace the box for Retweets still remains to be seen, however. While it does make the comment seem more like someone is continuing a conversation, the update arguably makes it easier to confuse a Retweet with a Reply, too.

“We’re working on updates to Retweet with Comment as part of our efforts to make Twitter more conversational,” a spokesperson for Twitter confirmed to TechCrunch. They also hinted we’d see more tests of this nature in the future, as well.

Hackers take control of Tampa mayor's Twitter account, announce airport bomb threat

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Feb. 21, 2019, 4:21 PM GMT

By David K. Li

A hacker took control of Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn’s Twitter account on Thursday morning, spewing racist slurs, posting child pornography and making a bomb threat, officials said.

Buckhorn's verified Twitter feed has more than 50,000 followers and all of his tweets were later removed.

"Earlier this morning we noticed someone hacked Mayor Buckhorn's twitter account, this was clearly not Mayor Buckhorn," the city's official Twitter feed said at 7:12 a.m. ET. "Upon noticing the hack we immediately began investigating these reprehensible tweets."

Tampa police are investigating and city officials urged residents to take routine safety measures, such as changing passwords.

"We will work with @TampaPD as well as all investigators to figure out how this breach was made," according to the city. "We urge residents to change their passwords and continue to alert officials when they see an unlikely change in account activity."

The mayor’s Twitter account was seized at about 4 a.m., NBC affiliate WFLA reported, with an initial post of: “Hacked by @MeeZoid @CxlvxnSwag @SheepKiller69 you can’t touch US," followed by a racial slur.

The hacker claimed to have planted a bomb at Tampa International Airport: "@FlyTPA I have hidden a bomb in a package somewhere at the Tampa international airport. Looking forward to seeing some minorities die."

TIA officials said the threat wasn't credible but said they had still taken "appropriate action" to ensure passenger safety.

David K. Li is a breaking news reporter for NBC News.

'Jeopardy! All-Stars' leaves Twitter frustrated, confused: 'Please never do this again'

Good news, Jeopardy fans — Alex Trebek isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. Time

"Jeopardy!" aired its first-ever All-Stars episode Wednesday, where previous winners and fan favorites returned to compete against each other on teams – but fans of the show weren't completely on board.

The 10-episode tournament, touted as the "Mount Rushmore of 'Jeopardy!'," divides 18 returning champions into six teams of three. The full teams aren't playing directly against each other. Rather, one person from each team will compete in the first round, another will appear in “Double Jeopardy!” and the remaining member will compete in the final round. (After a lengthy introduction, only a single round was played on Wednesday's episode.)

Viewers watched the episode with a remote in one hand and their phones in the other, tweeting their frustration and confusion with the all-star format and what some viewed as excessive commercial breaks.

@nickyandmatt wrote, "After watching the first day’s program I have to say I do not like the new format."

"@Jeopardy what is with this format?? Are we only going to get single jeopardy in this half hour?! This is terrible. Please never do this again," @SteveTrit tweeted.

@StiniTheWeenie bemoaned the ratio of commercials to questions, writing, "This is the 4th commercial break in twenty minutes during jeopardy! And almost no questions. What is this crap!?!"

"So confused about the #JeopardyAllStars format," @cuddles623 wrote. "8 minutes to go and were not even through round 1!?!  Husband and I are in distress!" 

@Trevars added, "I would’ve been onboard with #JeopardyAllStars if they played a normal amount of the game durin the episode. Or even close to a normal amount." 

"I’m having trouble following the rhythm of this episode - it’s like when you take a nap and then wake up at 4 p.m. and day is night and lunch is dinner and your whole sense of time is just trashed," @jennifermorrow opined.

Not everyone was hating on the new format, though.

@SvanteMyrick advised other fans to look at the big picture: "Jeopardy is holding an All-star tournament. If you're not excited about this, then I don't even want to know ya."

"I’m digging the #Jeopardy All Star Games!" @ilikeridebike declared.

More: 'Jeopardy!' host Alex Trebek reveals his one regret about relationship with wife Jean

More: Teen 'Jeopardy!' champion overcomes internet bullying to win $100,000 grand prize

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