From stars to hearts: Twitter transitions from favourites to likes
Twitter has implemented dramatic changes canning its long-established favourites system in favour of the like.
Perhaps proving that imitation is the best form of flattery, Twitter will utilise a similar system utilised by social media rival Facebook.
On why the change was made Twitter said: “You might like a lot of things, but not everything can be your favorite.
Twitter product manager, Akarshan Kumar: “The heart, in contrast, is a universal symbol that resonates across languages, cultures, and time zones. The heart is more expressive, enabling you to convey a range of emotions and easily connect with people. And in our tests, we found that people loved it.”
Following a lengthy trial across the summer, the change was today (Tuesday 3 November) rolled across the iOS and Android platforms, following its inclusion. The ‘Likes’ will also soon be implemented in Vine.
You can say a lot with a heart. Introducing a new way to show how you feel on Twitter: https://t.co/WKBEmORXNW pic.twitter.com/G4ZGe0rDTP
— Twitter (@twitter) November 3, 2015
Some social media users reacted adversely to the change.
Hi twitter what is this I don't like change pic.twitter.com/mKMXzsZSac
— Lucy James (@lucyjamesgames) November 3, 2015
I'm not ready for this kind of commitment. pic.twitter.com/8xglxWD9yA
— Aoife Wilson (@AoifeLockhart) November 3, 2015
Favorites were born in 2006 around the conception of the social media site, originally as a tweet bookmarking system.