Original URL: https://www.theregister.com/2009/10/01/twitter_lists_testing/
Twitter tests Tweet nests
Lets users sort accounts into custom categories
Posted in Legal, 1st October 2009 23:08 GMT
Avian-themed navel-micro-gazing website Twitter is experimenting with a new feature designed to let users organize the accounts they follow into custom categories.
"The idea is to allow people to curate lists of Twitter accounts," wrote project lead Nick Kallen in a blog post Wednesday evening. "For example, you could create a list of the funniest Twitter accounts of all time, athletes, local businesses, friends, or any compilation that makes sense."
The "Lists" concept is being tested by "a small subset of users" now, and should roll out across all accounts after it's put through the paces, Kallen said.
Although lists can be made private, they will be public by default in order to encourage other users to subscribe to various lists that interest them.
"This means lists have the potential to be an important new discovery mechanism for great tweets and accounts," Kallen wrote.
Until now, the only way for Tweeters to organize whom they follow on the website has been though third-party apps such as TweetDeck. Twitter intends to ape the idea, and will offer a Lists API in the next few days to enable other third-party app makers to sink their hooks into the new feature. ®