Twitter Teases Hiding 'Likes' and 'Retweets' Counts, Color-Coded Replies in Biggest Set of Changes To Its Social Media Service Since it Launched in 2006 (nbcnews.com)

Twitter is teasing some of the biggest changes to its social media service since it first launched in 2006, aiming to make good on the company's promise to promote "healthy conversation." From a report: The company is also introducing new features to enhance pictures and video on the app in an effort to encourage users to make more use of the cameras on their smartphones, a move that adds features similar to those found on the apps of some of its main competition: Instagram and Snapchat. "We've really intentionally tried to make the images and footage that are captured on the ground at an event look different than other images and videos that you might attach to a tweet," said Keith Coleman, Twitter's head of consumer product. On Tuesday, the company offered the public its first look at a new prototype for the Twitter app, which the company is calling "twttr" in a nod to CEO and co-founder Jack Dorsey's first tweet, that includes a variety of changes to how Twitter looks and operates, centered on a new format for conversations and color-coded replies. The prototype also removes the engagement counts showing the number of retweets or "likes" a tweet receives. This change is designed to make Twitter a little friendlier.

Comments

But how will people track ratios?

[SuperKendall]

Seems like it will take a lot of the (remaining) fun from Twitter, not being able to see the ratio of likes to comments...

I can't see a good case to hide either. Seeing how much something is liked can be really inspiring for some meaningful or heartwarming tweet (yes there are such things).

Similarly, seeing reply count is kind of nice as a metric of, should I even bother to reply, or read responses?

Seems like all changes are made to fight content Twitter dislikes. But all it ever does is make things worse for good content, and for Twitter usability...

Alternate Headline: Twitter Steps Up MiniTrue

[Elias Israel]

With this change, Twitter is doubling down on removing content they don't agree with and making it harder to see when dumb comments from their anointed "blue checks" are being ratio'd into oblivion. "Conform or be cast out."

Hide more!

[duke_cheetah2003]

How about hiding tweets, and adverts too?

How glorious would it be if Twitter was just a blank page?

It is what you want it to be.

[sheramil]

"In order to build a perfect society, you need perfect citizens." - Shirow Masamune, "Appleseed"

Twitter is a mirror. When a monkey looks in, no philosopher looks out.