TWITTER TESTING DISAPPEARING TWEETS IN BRAZIL

SANFRANCISCO» Twitter is starting to test tweets that disappear after 24 hours, although initially only in Brazil.

The company says the ephemeral tweets, which it calls “fleets” because of their fleeting nature, are designed to allay the concerns of new users who might be turned off by the public and permanent nature of normal tweets.

Fleets can’t be retweeted and they won’t have “likes.”

People can respond to them, but the replies show up as direct messages to the original tweeter, not as a public response, turning any back-and-forth session into a private conversation instead of a public discussion.

Despite having high-profile users such as President Donald Trump, Twitter has lagged behind other tech powerhouses such as Facebook and Google in terms of user growth and advertising revenue. Twitter is hoping that by offering disappearing tweets, people will be more likely to share casual, everyday thoughts — and to do so more often.

The new feature is reminiscent of Instagram and Facebook “stories” and Snapchat’s snaps, which let users post short-lived photos and messages.

Twitter said it may bring fleets to other countries depending on how the Brazil test goes.