Fleets are stories for a social network that isn’t
This week, Twitter launched Fleets.
That thing you didn’t Tweet but wanted to but didn’t but got so close but then were like nah.
— Twitter (@Twitter) November 17, 2020
We have a place for that now—Fleets!
Rolling out to everyone starting today. pic.twitter.com/auQAHXZMfH
Fleets are disappearing tweets. Snapchatty-tweets or Instagrammy-story-tweets were the other names which were quickly discarded. But you get they idea. Tweets are forever, Fleets disappear after 24 hours.
One of the hosts of the Reply All podcast uses a service to delete his tweets every two weeks. He will no longer need that service.
Twitter hopes Fleets will bring new users to its service. Twitter’s New ‘Fleets’ Are for People Who Are Afraid to Tweet
On one hand, I love the idea of Fleets. Fleets allow me to just stick to Twitter, and avoid all other social media. I can stay especially away from the Facebook universe. I enjoyed the stories of Instagram, but loathed the socialites or “influencers” and their choreographed pictures.
On the other hand, I have been able to compartmentalize the various services between family/friends (Facebook, Instagram) and discover/curiosity (Twitter). I am too old and not cool enough for Snapchat or TikTok. I enjoy the ideas and the topics from the people I follow on Twitter. However, I don’t know or care much about their personal lives. And surely, the same is true of the few folks who subscribe to my Twitter feed.
And there lies Twitter’s problem. Twitter is not really a social network. It is a social megaphone. It is a debate forum. It is therapy for some and tyranny for others. It ain’t no Instagram or Facebook, where you share with your family and friends what’s on your grill or in your dutch oven.
While Fleets will not compete with Instagram stories, they may have the power to bring some humanity to Twitter. I can put a human face behind so many sharp commenting twitterati. Perhaps it can make the trolls less trolly.
As for my fleets or tweets, check out @waffletchnlgy.