What to do if your twitter timeline isn't chronological

But first. Let's pause a while and consider choice.

I'm sure you like to decide how to take your coffee (mine's good beans, ground moments before, milk and no sugar since you ask, thank you). But it's your coffee and your decision. Well, I'm not keen (at all) on algorithm robots deciding for me what I see and when I see it, and I don't think you are either.

At its best social media is a stream of what people are saying, experiencing and thinking right now. Current, unfiltered and pacy. If I follow someone I want to see what they are saying exactly when they are saying it - everything, otherwise what's on earth is the point? They might need cheering up right now, not in seven hours time. I really don't want some or all of their tweets hidden from view.

Twitter's big idea. "Show me the best tweets first". Pah.

Twitter has a default but optional alorgorithmical view, showing you only the tweets it thinks you'd like in your timeline, and I think it makes complete sense that they do give you the option to turn that off. Hooray for Twitter (unlike Facebook and Instagram which don't give you the button and crash on through with reordering everything you see - and never showing you some of your friends posts)

I heartily recommend you do just that.

Here's how on a mobile twitter app (on a desktop/PC find the settings and privacy by clicking the little round photo of your profile icon)

Go to your home page and look for the little grey cog to access your settings. (You didn't really think I wouldn't redact my birth year there did you ;) NB the Redactor app is great for screenshots with personal stuff on)

2. Click on "Timeline"

3. Switch the "Show me the best tweets first" button to off (so it's grey)

There - that's better.