The major trend creating social media perform itself is trending on its own platform as people flood messages with #RIPTwitter. The hashtag is the result of Twitter announcing that it is testing the new feature that will allow specific tweets to disappear after 24 hours. The new feature has been named 'Fleets' and has a similar function to 'vanishing posts' on other social media platforms including Snapchat and Instagram stories.
This news displeased Twitter users so much that currently, #RIPTwitter is the number one trending topic on Twitter itself. The users have complained that with 'fleets' Twitter will no longer be different than Instagram or Snapchat and advised not to go ahead with it. A large number of people even put out memes demanding that instead, Twitter should enable edit option.
Twitter has added a new feature called 'Fleets'
Twitter is testing the fleets function only in Brazil for now. The social media platform's representatives said that their aim behind installing 'fleets' is that people usually have a feeling that whatever is posted on Twitter remains permanently and this can be uncomfortable to some. Thus to attract such people, the feature will provide an option for them to put up temporary stories.
Writing a seven-part Twitter post, Kayvon Beykpour stated: "We're hoping that Fleets can help people share the fleeting thoughts that they would have been unlikely to Tweet." He also agreed with the fact that 'fleets' sounds similar to the 'Stories' features on Facebook and Instagram. But he said that it was an "intentional difference."
Twitter did not confirm the date of the global rollout
However, currently, only in use in Brazil, the micro-blogging site did not confirm the date of the global rollout of the feature. Just like the status feature in WhatsApp, the fleets or the vanishing posts can be watched when someone clicks on a user's profile picture. So far there is no option to reply, like or comment on these fleeting posts.
Even though there is no option for public comment, the viewers can reply that will be transmitted as direct message to the person who tweeted the fleets. Many people have said that if they want to use 'fleets' feature they can go to other sites. Many have demanded that instead of trying out what is already there elsewhere, Twitter can help the users with edit feature.
