Twitter to bring back chronological timeline as users rage at app

Twitter will finally let people free of its algorithmic timeline, which has caused upset among many of its keenest users.

In 2016, Twitter introduced an algorithm to its timeline in an attempt to make people's feeds filled with more quality content, and has been making the timeline increasingly non-chronological ever since. That change has proven controversial among users, who say they are confused by the influx of older posts and the rearrangement of the timeline.

The site still maintains that people prefer to see the "best" tweets first, using Twitter's algorithmic timeline. "However, we've heard feedback from people who at times prefer to see the most recent Tweets," it wrote on Twitter.

As such, it will introduce new features that allow people to get both, the company's official Twitter account posted. It had intended to do that by tweaking its algorithm, but that did not appear to have satisfied people.

"So, we’re working on providing you with an easily accessible way to switch between a timeline of Tweets that are most relevant for you and a timeline of the latest Tweets. You’ll see us test this in the coming weeks," the account posted.

But for now it will offer an option that allows people to turn off the algorithmic timeline.

"Meanwhile, today we updated the 'Show the best Tweets first' setting. When off, you’ll only see Tweets from people you follow in reverse chronological order. Previously when turned off, you’d also see 'In case you missed it' and recommended Tweets from people you don’t follow."

Most of the major social networks have gradually moved towards algorithmic feeds, with the hope of ensuring that the timeline was always full of interesting posts.

But some have also moved away. Like Twitter, Instagram announced earlier this year that it was moving towards a chronological timeline again – changing its algorithm so that it favoured newer posts, but not getting rid of its rankings entirely.