Twitter has really been pushing live broadcasts and streams on its platform so it’s not surprising to see that the company has decided to give them prime real estate in all of its users’ timelines. Twitter has confirmed that from now on, live broadcasts and streams from accounts that users follow will show up at the very top of their timeline, meaning that it would be the first thing that they see when they launch the app.
The company says that this change will make it easier to find and watch live broadcasts on the platform. When accounts that users follow go live, the stream will appear at the very top of their timeline. This change has been rolled out for users on both iOS and Android.
It doesn’t appear that this can be turned off so even if you follow people but don’t want to see their live streams and broadcasts, there may not be much that you can do to get rid of their streams from the top of your timeline for good. It will be possible to dismiss individual broadcasts from the drop down and the video won’t play unless you tap on it. Accounts that have been muted will not show up.
The update that has been rolled out for Twitter’s app on both platforms also brings support for live broadcasts that are audio-only in addition to broadcasts through Periscope, a service owned by Twitter.
We’re making it easier to find and watch live broadcasts. Now, when accounts you follow go live, the stream will appear right at the top of your timeline.
Catch breaking news, your favorite personalities, and can't-miss sports moments. Rolling out now on iOS and Android. pic.twitter.com/gka2NDHGDX
— Twitter (@Twitter) September 13, 2018