Elon Musk has big ideas for Twitter

Zach Bowders, a data analyst living in Memphis, got nervous about the introduction of a Twitter downvote button back in February, only to see it disappear from his app about a week later, he said. Now he’s wondering what to expect as Musk takes the reins of the social network after agreeing to buy the company for about $44 billion this week. He likes the billionaire’s ideas for a more transparent Twitter algorithm that shows users why it boosts or buries certain content, he said. But it’s hard to predict which ideas will stick.

Musk’s acquisition of Twitter, official as of Monday, sparked speculation about the social media company’s next product moves. Musk has teased big ideas including a long-awaited edit button, identity authentication to fight automated “bot” accounts and clearer indications that content was algorithmically promoted or squashed. Musk’s agenda could lead to rapid-fire trial and error in coming months, product development experts say. Whatever happens, users should buckle up: In Twitterland, new features can disappear as fast as they come, and it’s tough to make everybody happy.

The past few years have brought new features from the social media company, including premium subscription Twitter Blue and audio chat rooms called Spaces. Some ideas — such as temporary “Fleets” and a separate tab for chronological feeds — got left on the cutting room floor. Recently the company concluded its test of the downvote button, a Twitter spokeswoman said without clarifying whether the feature will come back, and it’s still testing the option to tweet audio snippets.