Twitter said it is testing a way for users to "think aloud" with tweets that vanish after a day instead of having posts linger.
The ability to send ephemeral tweets called "Fleets" is being tried out in Brazil, according to the San Francisco-based social media platform. According to AFP, if more widely implemented, Twitter would match the disappearing posts first made popular by Snapchat and later adopted by Facebook and other platforms.
"We are experimenting with a new way for you to 'think aloud' on Twitter, with no likes, retweets or public comments.
Known as "Fleets" the new tweets will disappear after 24 hours, the company said in a message posted on its Twitter account.
Twitter product lead Kayvon Beykpour said the new format could encourage people to share thoughts they might not have expressed in a permanent tweet.
"This is a substantial change to Twitter, so we're excited to learn by testing it," Beykpour added.
The new feature allows users to press the "share" button and select "Hide Tweet" to close replies. In this case, other users can still tap on the "Fleets" to read the replies instead of seeing them automatically.
According to the TechCrunch website, this tool, which is expected to be developed after opening the "Fleets" feature to developers, will be particularly important for companies and brands that have official accounts on Twitter.
Companies receive myriads of replies to their tweets, which leaves them unable to respond conveniently.
However, with the "Fleets" feature, developers would have the opportunity to create tools that can automatically hide irritating or unwanted replies based on the interests of the company's customers, such as tweets containing prohibited keywords, or dangerous content.
TechCrunch reported that Twitter has cooperated with few developers who have already developed tools to take further advantage of the feature.
