Twitter (now officially renamed as X) is probably the most popular social media app that, along with Instagram, exists in the world. As the only app where you can find out anything, from friends' opinions to every single thing a celebrity does, it has remained at the forefront of modernity, but what makes it so special?
Twitter's features
Twitter's features are precisely what makes the app so good, most of them are unique amongst social media platforms, creating an innovative platform full of new things to discover.
- Tweeting: This is the core feature of Twitter, it means to post short messages, photos, videos, and links, all of them up to 280 characters. You can create a thread of tweets by replying to the each successive tweet, to create an interesting story worth reading!
- Retweet: Users can share tweets from other users that shares their opinion, being able to also “quote a tweet”, wich is to share it with a little comment or response.
- Reply, like and follow: like on most social media apps, you have the option to like a post, reply to someone or follow another user, creating a massive spider web of content that allows the app to display a carefully curated array of content everyday.
- Hashtags: Like in Instagram and Tumblr, you can also use Hashtags ( # sign + a word) to make your content more visible and attract people interested in the same topics as you.
- Lists: Users can create and curate lists to organize accounts that they follow in different tiers, a great tool for small businesses or influencers.
- Twitter Spaces: This feature allows users to host and participate in live audio meetings and conversations, like in a phone call, anybody can join!
- Fleets: Fleets are tweets that last for 24 hours.
- Trending Topics: This feature allows you to know what is going on around the globe and what's the hottest topic of the moment, from politics to fashion.
- Twitter Polls: Users can create polls and tweet them to see what anybody else thinks.
Rebranding Twitter: the birth of X
Since Elon Musk took over Twitter after long and complicated negotiations, the app has been refurbished in its entirety For example, Twitter changed its name to X, a controversial decision among regular users of the app who found it hard to get accustomed to it (as a matter of fact, almost everyone still refers to it by its old name). Musk also decided to apply an approach centred towards the principle of freedom of speech, reinstating suspended accounts of controversial celebrities such as Andrew Tate and easing restrictions on words and topics that could previously cost one's account.
Among the changes implemented is probably the most controversial of all: X Premium and the Blue Badge. The blue badge is a blue icon that was placed on the display of an user, usually famous, to prove that it is the real person. It was previously given to people who actually did something to deserve having it, but now, to have this badge you have to follow a set of really basic criteria but most importantly, you must be an X Premium user. According to angry users, this pretty much is selling blue badges to anyone, something that in the long run, can turn out to be really dangerous, leading to scamming and impersonation.
A brief overview of Twitter
Overall, Twitter is still on top as one of the leading social media apps thanks to its unique features and open-dialogue style, making it a modern and versatile app, worthy of being used. The app in itself is a great tool for communication, from memes to political debates, and thanks to its free speech policy, you don't have to walk on eggshells like on Instagram. Twitter has thankfully come to stay, and for this, the app deserves a solid 5/5 stars
