Elon Musk, the billionaire entrepreneur and founder of Tesla and SpaceX, has recently expressed his interest in adding a new feature to Twitter that would emphasize visual content. In a tweet on July 14, Musk suggested that Twitter should have an “Instagram-styled” tab that would show only photos and videos from the people you follow, without any text or links. He also added a poll asking his followers if they would use such a feature.
Musk’s tweet received mixed reactions from the Twitter community, with some users supporting his idea and others criticizing it. Some argued that Twitter is already saturated with images and videos, and that adding another tab would make the platform more cluttered and less informative.
Others pointed out that Twitter already has a media tab that shows all the photos and videos from a user’s profile, and that Musk’s proposal would not add much value. Some also questioned Musk’s motivation for wanting such a feature, suggesting that he might be trying to promote his own products or personal brand through visual content. Some of the recent additions include Spaces, a feature that allows users to host live audio chats; Tip Jar, a feature that enables users to send and receive money; and Super Follows, a feature that will let users charge for exclusive content.
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However, some users also praised Musk’s idea and said that they would enjoy seeing more photos and videos from their favorite accounts. They claimed that such a feature would make Twitter more engaging and entertaining, and that it would allow users to share their creativity and personality more easily. They also noted that Twitter has been lagging behind other social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok in terms of visual content, and that adding an “Instagram-styled” tab would help Twitter attract more users and advertisers.
Musk is not the first person to propose such a feature for Twitter. In fact, Twitter itself has been experimenting with different ways to showcase visual content on its platform. In 2019, Twitter launched Fleets, a feature that allows users to post ephemeral stories that disappear after 24 hours. In 2020, Twitter introduced Spaces, a feature that lets users host live audio conversations with other users. And in 2021, Twitter announced Super Follows, a feature that will enable users to charge for exclusive content such as newsletters, podcasts, or videos.
Twitter has not officially responded to Musk’s suggestion, but it is unlikely that the company will implement such a feature anytime soon. Twitter has been focusing on improving its existing features and introducing new ones that align with its vision of being a platform for public conversation. Some of the recent additions include Spaces, a feature that allows users to host live audio chats; Tip Jar, a feature that enables users to send and receive money; and Super Follows, a feature that will let users charge for exclusive content.
It is unclear whether Twitter will take Musk’s suggestion seriously and implement an “Instagram-styled” tab for its platform. However, it is evident that Twitter is aware of the importance of visual content in the social media landscape, and that it is willing to try new things to keep up with the changing preferences and expectations of its users.