On November 17, Twitter launched “Fleets”: a variation of Tweet which disappears from the user’s feed after 24 hours. It is similar to the currently utilized Instagram, Facebook, and Snapchat stories.
This new feature is designed to help Twitter users “post with less pressure”. Joshua Harris and Sam Haveson, Twitter’s Design Director and Product Manager, respectively, stated in the company’s blog:
“To help people feel more comfortable, we’ve been working on a lower pressure way for people to talk about what’s happening. Today, we’re launching Fleets so everyone can easily join the conversation in a new way – with their fleeting thoughts.”
That thing you didn’t Tweet but wanted to but didn’t but got so close but then were like nah.
We have a place for that now—Fleets!
Rolling out to everyone starting today. pic.twitter.com/auQAHXZMfH
— Twitter (@Twitter) November 17, 2020
To share a post as Fleet, you can click on the “Share” icon found at the bottom of a Tweet, and then followed by tapping “Share in Fleet”. From there, you can post in text, photos, emojis, or videos — with or without background.
Some users who have experienced Fleets speculate that it may serve as an avenue for online harassment, as this feature can bypass another user’s block settings.
HOLY MOLA!
You can tag accounts that have blocked you (and that you've blocked, me and POTUS are mutual blockers) in a "fleet" and the tag will still work to direct your followers to that account.
That is not good. pic.twitter.com/mKb4Fxb3C1
— Andrew Thaler (@DrAndrewThaler) November 17, 2020
But like any other new release, Fleets is still subject to further development. Twitter is yet to apply changes after sufficient feedback, along with its plan to make stickers and live broadcasting available on the said expansion in the near future.
