Twitter’s attempt to keep up with the social-media Joneses might’ve backfired terribly after the company’s new “Fleet” feature ignited an uproarious discussion over bathroom vernacular.
Taking a leaf from SnapChat, Twitter is testing the function in Brazil as a way to “share fleeting thoughts” that vanish after “24 hours,” according to company product leader Kayvon Beykpour. However, as many Twitter users all-too-gleefully pointed out, “Fleet” is also the name of a popular brand of bowel irrigation.
“Sounds like the leading brand of enemas,” mused one critic, referencing the saline laxative billed on the company site as providing “reliable relief from occasional constipation without pain or spasm.”
Another added. “It [Fleet] has become synonymous with clearing the decks before the ship comes into port, so to speak.” Which, might actually be fitting, seeing how the function allows users’ digital detritus to vanish within a day.
“So Twitter is giving us enemas with Fleet?” joked another about the tush-tidying terminology.
One alleged medical practitioner even chimed in on the debate: “Maybe it’s the nurse in me but all I can think about is fleet enemas whyyyy twitter???”
The working title was also lampooned on LGBT website Pride, which noted that the brand is a popular cleansing product in the gay community. Indeed, Fleet mentions on the site that its product’s “gentle glide tip” makes it “ideal for bowel cleansing before undergoing a rectal examination.”
However, Twitter is apparently wise to the name’s colon-cleansing connotations. “Yes we know what fleets means. thanks – gay intern,” wrote the Twitter communications account on Wednesday.
Despite their knowledge of laxative lexicon, Twitter has yet to announce if they plan to flush the name down the toilet. “We’re hoping that Fleets can help people share the fleeting thoughts that they would have been unlikely to Tweet,” tweeted Beykpour, adding that Fleets don’t get retweets or likes and can only be responded to via DM. To further allow the user to Tweet incognito, the feature can only be accessed by clicking on one’s Twitter avatar, reports CNN.
Twitter isn’t the first app to jump on the digital invisible-ink train. Instagram and Facebook have both debuted Stories functions that allow users to upload ephemeral photo and video posts that disappear within a day.