Twitter may be reviving emoji reactions that let users interact with posts in their timelines

Twitter may reintroduce ‘reactions’ that let people use emojis to interact with tweets in their timeline. 

According to a tweet from reverse engineering expert, Jane Manchun Wong, the platform appears to be experimenting with an interface that allows users to select one of several emojis as a way of interacting with a tweet outside of simply ‘liking’ it.

Specifically, the screenshot captured by Manchun Wong shows a menu that lets users select one of five emojis that includes a surprised face, an underscored ‘100’ and a laughing face.

While this wouldn’t be the first time that Twitter users would be able to react to tweets using emojis, it would mark a return to the functionality after five years.

As noted by SocialMediaToday, Twitter previously tested emoji reactions in 2015 at the same time as rival platform, Facebook, began to experiment with its own reaction feature which is currently still in use.

As noted by The Verge, the return of the reaction feature makes more sense when considering other tests like the ability to turn off replies to a tweet.

The ability to emote instead of reply to tweets would be useful when options with interaction are limited.

Twitter has already introduced emoji reactions to direct messaging earlier this year (Stock photo)

It’s not clear if or when Twitter will integrate the feature into users’ timelines, but the company has already rolled out emoji reactions inside its direct messaging interface, so an expansion wouldn’t be altogether surprising. 

In addition to discovering evidence of emoji reactions, Manchun Wong also spotted a feature that would allow users to sent ‘fleets’ – Twitter’s experimental version of Snapchat or Instagram stories.

Likewise it’s unclear if or when that feature will be introduced.