Lately, it seems Twitter is eager for experimenting with different features in its mobile apps and on its website. However, its latest experiment, which makes favorites appearing on the main timeline has infuriated some users.
Several users are reported noticing tweets that users’ favourites are appearing on their Twitter timeline, as well as other popular tweets from accounts others follow.
The experiments are similar to some of the new notifications Twitter has pushed out. However, since this experiment took place on the main timeline, affected users are responding with outrage and frustration, especially when they know that there is no option to remove these new additions.
Here is an example:
The main purposes of this experiment are probably to help increase engagement. The problem is, of course, that the said experiment is a big change to the way Twitter has always worked. The “usual” part of what makes Twitter great is the fact that Twitter’s timeline is relatively unobstructed. You see tweets from individuals you choose to follow and the tweets they choose to RT. It’s not like Facebook’s timeline, where you also get various information about every like, comment or recent game activity.
It’s not just ‘regular’ Twitter users that are getting the new timeline features. Celebrities are also being ‘experimented’ with these new rules, too. The reaction is quite obvious:
The company published a statement on its experiments last year, which provides a good overview for confused users. However, it would be better for Twitter to notify users that are seeing an experiment for the first time what is going on, perhaps with a notification on the main timeline, along with a link to the blog post.