If you’re a Twitter user you may have noticed that recently there have been some changes to the way you retweet posts. Ever since Twitter began users and third party developers have generally led the way in innovation and from this rose a simple formula to retweet a post (RT @username: Message). It’s simple and allows users to add their thoughts to the tweet as they spread it to their followers.
Recently Twitter has decided to take a more active role in innovation, but their newest change is a gamble. One of the main appeals of Twitter is its simplicity of use. If you know the basics (140 characters or less, @ replies, and URL shorteners) then you can get started on Twitter. As Twitter begins to roll out new services they risk leaving behind their K.I.S.S. roots.
With the new retweet function users will no longer be able to add their own thoughts to the posts they retweet. By doing so Twitter is cutting out a key part of the conversation. Users don’t alway agree with the posts they retweet and this new form of retweeting won’t allow users to comment on the articles with their criticisms or critique.
Perhaps the most ironic part of this entire situation is that Twitter is ignoring the concerns of the users, which is the very aspect of Twitter that makes the service so useful. Just like any other company Twitter needs to take some time and listen to the concerns of their users, they may be surprised by what they find out about themselves.