Twitter has announced a new tool called app graph that is designed to track the apps users have installed on their devices to suggest promoted content and pave way for a more personalised timeline. While Twitter says it only collects the list of applications one has installed and not data within the apps, it could still be a matter of concern for many, as it means that Twitter would by secretly spying on your phone use. However, the micro-blogging site isn’t forcing you to use the feature as it can be easily disabled.
Basically, Twitter plans to use your app graph to help build a more tailored experience for you. For instance, it aims at showing users more relevant promoted content and an improved “who to follow” suggestions that share similar interest. “Adding Tweets, accounts, or other content to your timeline that we think you’ll find especially interesting,” Twitter writes in an official blog post.
Twitter shows a prompt letting you know that the feature is active on your device. So, if you see a prompt, it means that the setting is turned off. Android users can disable the feature by tapping the overflow icon and by choosing the account you’d like to adjust under Settings. Under ‘Other’, you can adjust the setting to ‘Tailor Twitter based on my apps’.
On the other hand, iOS users need to tap the gear icon from the Me tab and go to Settings. Under Privacy, they can then adjust the setting to ‘Tailor Twitter based on my apps’.
While it clearly indicates the new app graph is more of an advertising tool, it is good to see that Twitter has been transparent about how it plans to implement the app graph.
