Twitstorm inbound: Twitter rolling out algorithmic timeline
Opt-in and optional for now, but coming as default soon
Twitter makes waves whenever changes get revealed, but today’s reveal of a new timeline algorithm is basically a tsunami.
From today, users will start to see an algorithmic timeline instead of the chronological one that has been there since the beginning.
Twitter has shown the newest tweets first for what seems like forever; great for getting the newest information first, but difficult for newcomers to get their head around.
The “While you were away” box put a few choice tweets near the top of your timeline, picked from people you talk to (or about) the most and what’s been retweeted/liked the most by other users.
That’s now rolling out across the whole timeline. Now, scrolling down after opening the app will show smart suggestions. Scrolling up to refresh then shows new tweets in a chronological order.
An algorithm might be friendlier for anyone that’s new to Twitter, but it’s a massive change for anyone used to the old style.
Luckily you won’t have to change if you don’t want to – at first, anyway. To start with the changes will be opt-in only, enabled through your app’s settings.
Right now, the new timeline will only be seen online, and on the Android and iOS apps. Tweetdeck keeps the old timeline for the time being.
Eventually it will be switched on by default, but you’ll be able to switch it off if you don’t like it. After a few weeks though, it’s anyone’s guess if Twitter will remove the old style for good.
RELATED › Why I don’t love twitter likes
Tom Morgan-Freelander
Deputy Editor 
