In another flip-flop move, Twitter says it will remember feeds that users choose algorithmically “For You” or chronologically “Following” across the web. This change will reassure many of you who have been frustrated by seeing an algorithmic timeline appear by default every time a social network visits the service.
The move is the latest in a series of changes Twitter recently made to its dual timeline implementation. On the web, things get a little more confusing.
- January 13th: Twitter rolled out its dual timeline update to the web, but at the time, the social network remembered your choices.
- January 20th: The company has made the “For You” feed the default across the web when users first open Twitter in a tab or refresh the page.
- January 24th: Now Twitter will remember your choice again. world peace.
Twitter also added that similar updates will roll out to Twitter’s iOS and Android apps. As such, algorithmic timelines will soon be gone as defaults for mobile apps as well.
Many power Twitter users who used third-party Twitter apps never had to deal with algorithmic timelines. But now, if Elon Musk & co. changed their API rules to disable third-party apps, users would have no choice but to use the official her Twitter app or his website.
This week’s move is included in a growing file of reversal decisions under Musk. The file includes the withdrawal of the newly launched Twitter Blue program in November and the removal of a provision prohibiting users from posting links to other social media profiles in December.
