Twitter Spaces Updates: Transcriptions, Speaker Controls & Reporting

Earlier this month, Twitter revealed plans to initiate testing of a new feature, known as Audio Spaces, designed to compete with platforms like Clubhouse. This upcoming tool will enable Twitter users to participate in live conversations within dedicated spaces, either one-on-one or with larger groups. While an initial announcement included several product screenshots, detailed information regarding the functionality of Audio Spaces was limited. Recent investigations by reverse engineer Jane Manchun Wong have provided further insight into the feature set.

Wong successfully activated the private beta version of the application and captured screenshots illustrating the appearance and operation of Audio Spaces. It’s important to note that these features are subject to change prior to the public release, but they offer a current understanding of Twitter’s development approach.

The visuals demonstrate that users will have the ability to implement conversation controls similar to those currently available for standard tweets within Audio Spaces. This will allow hosts to configure their space to be open to all, restricted to followers, or accessible only to specifically invited individuals.

There are multiple methods for inviting others to join a space, including direct messages, posting a tweet, or sharing a unique link on other platforms.

Upon entering a space, participants will automatically have their microphones muted to minimize background noise. As the discussion unfolds, they can express reactions using a range of emojis, such as “100,” a raised hand, a fist, a peace sign, and a waving hand.

Furthermore, the creator of the Audio Space will retain control over who is permitted to speak at any given time. Through an in-app menu, they can manage speakers, adjust settings, review guidelines, and submit feedback or report the space, among other options.

Notably, the menu indicates that Audio Spaces will incorporate transcriptions of the conversations. This is a distinguishing characteristic compared to some other audio chat platforms. While primarily intended to enhance accessibility, this feature could also contribute to more responsible dialogue by making users aware that their contributions are being recorded.

This functionality may help address challenges associated with moderating live chat room environments, where real-time conversations can be difficult to oversee. Even in invite-only settings, Clubhouse has encountered instances of moderation lapses, including incidents involving the harassment of a New York Times journalist and discussions containing anti-Semitic content.

Given Twitter’s existing struggles with platform abuse, introducing this new format for online interaction presented certain concerns.

The approach Twitter will take to moderation within these audio chat rooms remained unclear, but the transcription feature appears to serve as a potential deterrent to inappropriate speech, while the in-app reporting mechanism provides a direct means of addressing issues as they arise. Selecting the “Report this Space” option allows users to categorize their reports based on concerns such as self-harm, violence, sexual content, child safety, private information, or abusive behavior.

As Audio Spaces is currently in a private beta phase, testers have access to a “Share Feedback” option, enabling them to directly message the @TwitterSpaces account.

Wong’s analysis of the app’s code also revealed that Audio Spaces utilizes Periscope for its underlying infrastructure. It seems that a connection to Periscope is required for Spaces to function correctly.

Twitter previously stated that Audio Spaces would be initially released to a limited group of users, specifically those “disproportionately impacted by abuse and harm on the platform: women and those from marginalized backgrounds,” as noted by Twitter Staff Product Designer Maya Gold Patterson during a briefing for reporters earlier this month.

When contacted for a statement, a Twitter spokesperson indicated: “We’ll have more to share on Spaces closer to the public beta experiment launch.”