Twitter announces new Communities feature to compete with Facebook Groups

Communities

Twitter has announced a new Communities feature that’s similar to Facebook Groups.

The social network, which has introduced a whole host of new features in recent months, has revealed that users will be able to join communities to discuss particular topics and interests.

The feature has entered an invite-only beta, with Communities able to be created by a handful of Twitter users. They’re self-moderated, and Community leaders can add an unlimited number of users to their groups, covering topics from healthcare and baking to sports and celebrity.

Members of a Community will be able to choose their audience in a tweet composer so that they can tweet a message to all of their followers or just those who are part of a Community.

Tweets that are shared to a Community will then show up in the Community tab, as well as the timeline of the other members of the group. It’s important to note that Communities won’t be private – anyone can access a Community but they can’t participate unless they’re a member.

Users on iOS can access Communities through the navigation bar, and on the web, there’s a Communities tab in the sidebar. Right now, there are communities such as #DogTwitter and #SkincareTwitter, and Twitter says more will be created each week. Users can apply to become an early tester of the Community feature, but a full rollout is expected later in the year.

Are you excited about this feature? Let us know and check back soon for the latest.

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