Thursday, 18 June 2020 04:43

Twitter to let you tweet with your voice

Rate this item
(0 votes)

Twitter has spent years trying to combat misinformation and abuse on its platform. Now it's introducing a new feature with the potential to complicate that effort: audio tweets.

On Wednesday, the company said it's allowing a "limited group" of iOS users to create tweets with their voice. In the coming weeks, all iOS users should have access to voice tweets. 

The feature comes after the launch of a buzzy, invite-only app called Clubhouse, which encourages users to spontaneously drop into voice chat rooms. But it also potentially opens the door to new forms of abuse, whether it be verbal harassment or spreading hateful content via audio that could be harder to detect initially than text.

When asked how the company would handle any abuse of the feature, a Twitter spokesperson said it's working to incorporate additional monitoring systems ahead of rolling voice tweets out more broadly. The spokesperson also said it would review any reported voice tweets in line with its rules and take action.

Twitter also said users won't be able to use audio to reply to tweets.

Creating a voice tweet is similar to regular tweeting, but users tap a new icon with wavelengths on it to record. Voice tweets are limited to chunks of 140 seconds -- an apparent nod to Twitter's original character limit -- but users can keep recording and it'll automatically create a thread. 

Some users were quick to point out its inaccessible for some people, such as those with hearing issues. (Twitter made no mention of adding a transcription option.)

Twitter said it hopes voice tweets will add a "more human touch" to the platform, and noted that sometimes 280 characters aren't enough to convey a message. 

"There's a lot that can be left unsaid or uninterpreted using text, so we hope voice Tweeting will create a more human experience for listeners and storytellers alike," Twitter wrote in a blog post.

 

CNN

May 30, 2025

Nigeria's $3bn fashion drain: How import dependence undermines local textile industry

Nigeria's fashion sector is hemorrhaging billions of dollars annually due to overwhelming reliance on imported…
May 28, 2025

PDP govs facing intimidation from Tinubu administration, says Bala Mohammed

Bauchi State Governor and chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum, Bala Mohammed,…
May 30, 2025

Money can buy you happiness. Here’s how

There’s not a single problem in my life that couldn’t be solved or at least…
May 24, 2025

Woman forced to clean off makeup after failing airport facial recognition scans

A Chinese woman was allegedly forced to take off her heavy makeup after facial recognition…
May 29, 2025

18 soldiers, 15 police officers arrested for selling arms to criminals, Nigerian Army says

Troops of operation Hadin Kai (OPHK) have arrested 18 serving soldiers and 15 police officers…
May 30, 2025

Here’s the latest as Israel-Hamas war enters Day 602

US proposes 60-day ceasefire for Gaza, plan shows A U.S. plan for Gaza seen by…
May 29, 2025

AI system resorts to blackmail when its developers try to replace it

An artificial intelligence model has the ability to blackmail developers — and isn’t afraid to…
May 13, 2025

Nigeria's Flying Eagles qualify for World Cup after dramatic win over Senegal

Nigeria's U-20 national football team, the Flying Eagles, have secured their place at the 2025…

NEWSSCROLL TEAM: 'Sina Kawonise: Publisher/Editor-in-Chief; Afolabi Ajibola: IT Manager;
Contact Us: [email protected] Tel/WhatsApp: +234 811 395 4049

Copyright © 2015 - 2025 NewsScroll. All rights reserved.