15 votes

Twitter releases new "Fleets" feature

18 comments

  1. joplin
    Link
    What the actual fuck? This is so absurd it's like they want it to backfire: So in other words, "we're going to test it first on a group that will likely use it in a way that is unlike how it will...

    What the actual fuck? This is so absurd it's like they want it to backfire:

    “It’s critical that we get safety right...

    “So we’re going to do something a little different,” she continued. “We are going to launch this first experiment of spaces to a very small group of people — a group of people who are disproportionately impacted by abuse and harm on the platform: women and those from marginalized backgrounds,” she added.

    So in other words, "we're going to test it first on a group that will likely use it in a way that is unlike how it will eventually be used for the majority of its use." Or more clearly, "we're going to avoid testing it on trolls and Nazis so that when we eventually hand it to trolls and Nazis we can have some plausible deniability about the outcome we are absolutely certain will happen."

    22 votes
  2. tesseractcat
    Link
    I made a post earlier about TikTok, where I talked about how social media has divided into optimizing for controversiality, or optimizing for short form entertainment. This feature seems to take...

    I made a post earlier about TikTok, where I talked about how social media has divided into optimizing for controversiality, or optimizing for short form entertainment. This feature seems to take advantage of both, resulting in short form controversiality, which has the side benefit of less consequences that result in negative PR for Twitter.

    13 votes
  3. [4]
    Nepenthaceae
    Link
    It also forces people who are even the slightest bit sensitive to Fear of Missing Out (which is everyone, imo) to feel pressure to check the Fleets/Stories/Snaps/Whathaveyou. That is the worst...

    It also forces people who are even the slightest bit sensitive to Fear of Missing Out (which is everyone, imo) to feel pressure to check the Fleets/Stories/Snaps/Whathaveyou. That is the worst part for me. These ideas hit the consumer on a subliminal level, very smart, very evil.

    11 votes
    1. [3]
      AugustusFerdinand
      Link Parent
      Only a Sith speaks in absolutes. There are plenty of us that don't have, need, or want social networking accounts and regularly disconnect from even the topic specific discussion boards we are a...

      (which is everyone, imo)

      Only a Sith speaks in absolutes.

      There are plenty of us that don't have, need, or want social networking accounts and regularly disconnect from even the topic specific discussion boards we are a part of. The internet is not the world, nor does it reflect real life.

      7 votes
      1. vektor
        Link Parent
        I think the statement was that everyone has at least a tiny bit Fear Of Missing Out at some level. Which I think is reasonably close to the truth. Of course this change won't work on everyone on...

        I think the statement was that everyone has at least a tiny bit Fear Of Missing Out at some level. Which I think is reasonably close to the truth.

        Of course this change won't work on everyone on the world. But if you're into twitter, it might well work on a lot of people. Can't be missing any content that might disappear again, gotta check twitter erryday. Very evil indeed.

        7 votes
      2. Nepenthaceae
        Link Parent
        Of course! I meant the FOMO part, (almost) everyone knows that feeling of missing out on something.

        Of course! I meant the FOMO part, (almost) everyone knows that feeling of missing out on something.

        2 votes
  4. [7]
    Akir
    Link
    If you ask me, it seems like a brand new way to hurl abuse at people and get away with it scott-free. Hopefully the implementation is better than I am imagining.

    If you ask me, it seems like a brand new way to hurl abuse at people and get away with it scott-free. Hopefully the implementation is better than I am imagining.

    8 votes
    1. [6]
      Flashynuff
      Link Parent
      From what I've been seeing, Fleets don't utilize any of Twitter's anti-abuse features. You can mention users who have blocked you in Fleets, you can quote tweet people without them knowing, you...

      From what I've been seeing, Fleets don't utilize any of Twitter's anti-abuse features. You can mention users who have blocked you in Fleets, you can quote tweet people without them knowing, you can post "banned" links, and that's on top of them being temporary. It's almost incredible how poorly done this is

      13 votes
      1. [5]
        sron
        Link Parent
        It's as if they had a series of decisions and made the worst possible choice for each one. Does anyone here use Telepath? What is that like to actually use? All I've seen is articles on a few tech...

        It's as if they had a series of decisions and made the worst possible choice for each one.

        Does anyone here use Telepath? What is that like to actually use? All I've seen is articles on a few tech sites and they don't really provide much insight into what it's like to use, just the ideas behind it.

        3 votes
        1. [3]
          wcerfgba
          Link Parent
          I've also never heard of it, so I went to the website to check it out, and I am immediately turned off: there is no information anywhere about what the hell it is. 'Help' is a mailto link (which I...

          I've also never heard of it, so I went to the website to check it out, and I am immediately turned off: there is no information anywhere about what the hell it is. 'Help' is a mailto link (which I think is usually fine for support and I like being able to email someone instead of relying on shitty forms which are more likely to break, but I am looking for an FAQ so I thought there would be at least some documentation between me and a support email) so not useful. I click Sign Up and am prompted to join the waitlist, OK. Have to choose iOS or Android... so there's no web client? Whatever, click Android, next. Now you want my phone number, for your waitlist. Not an email, my phone number, for the waitlist. Sorry, fuck that, if you want me to start handing my details like this, at least tell my what the fuck your platform is.

          6 votes
          1. Deimos
            Link Parent
            It's currently only an iOS app (and that's invite-only), and they don't seem to have any solid plans to expand beyond that. My understanding is that there will probably be an Android app...

            It's currently only an iOS app (and that's invite-only), and they don't seem to have any solid plans to expand beyond that. My understanding is that there will probably be an Android app eventually, but I don't think there's any timeline for it, and a non-app/web version is unlikely.

            2 votes
          2. sron
            Link Parent
            Yeah, a little bit of information wouldn’t go amiss. Perhaps what it is, how it works, what they’re doing and why they need your phone number... I know that one of their requirements is to use...

            Yeah, a little bit of information wouldn’t go amiss. Perhaps what it is, how it works, what they’re doing and why they need your phone number... I know that one of their requirements is to use your real identity so I guess the phone number would tie in to that but if it’s literally just a reminder at this point there’s no reason it can’t be email.

            1 vote
        2. andre
          Link Parent
          I hadn't heard of Telepath, but I looked up a Techcrunch article on it, and the ethos is intriguing: Real identify required Be nice Things disappear after 30 days No fake news I'm not sure how...

          I hadn't heard of Telepath, but I looked up a Techcrunch article on it, and the ethos is intriguing:

          • Real identify required
          • Be nice
          • Things disappear after 30 days
          • No fake news

          I'm not sure how they're going to enforce being nice or fake news (who watches the watchers?), but it seemed interesting enough to sign up for a beta.

  5. elcuello
    Link
    I think there's something to be said about social media creeping in to every little mundane aspect of out lives. It's one thing to share "important" moments in your life but when these stories...

    I think there's something to be said about social media creeping in to every little mundane aspect of out lives. It's one thing to share "important" moments in your life but when these stories popped up in Snapchat, Insta, Facebook and now Twitter it lowered or maybe even removed the bar for content. I say content not quality because that's far too subjective. It seems we finally have eroded the line between reality and online reality because our urge to escapism from both the poster and viewer is so strong that we need it suited for every single situation of our lives. I don't know if this makes sense but this article made me think of that.

    5 votes
  6. [2]
    AugustusFerdinand
    Link
    So we taking bets for how long before specific... ahem... controversial US political figures use this?

    So we taking bets for how long before specific... ahem... controversial US political figures use this?

    3 votes
    1. whbboyd
      Link Parent
      There will be services that record these for all posterity instantly upon its release. So anyone attempting to use the feature to duck controversy will be stymied and fail at that goal....

      There will be services that record these for all posterity instantly upon its release. So anyone attempting to use the feature to duck controversy will be stymied and fail at that goal.

      Ironically, I don't think Donald Trump would be interested, because he believes himself to be incapable of making mistakes or having regrets.

      6 votes
  7. Eabryt
    Link
    I've found a solution. Every time I see a follower has created a fleet, I mute fleets from that user. PROBLEM SOLVED.

    I've found a solution. Every time I see a follower has created a fleet, I mute fleets from that user.

    PROBLEM SOLVED.

    2 votes