How does Twibes work?
In order to use Twibes, simply search on the website for a keyword or topic, and see what twibes are available to join. You can join up to 10 twibes. Can’t find a twibe for your topic? You can start up to three of your own!

To learn how to create or join a twibe, go here.

OK, I joined a twibe. Now what?
Once you are a member of a twibe, if you would like your tweet to show up on the twibe’s tweet stream from Twitter, you must include at least one of the tags in your tweet. Because Twibes works with Twitter’s search function, your tweet will usually show up between a few minutes and a couple of hours.

However, all tweets posted from the tweet box on the twibe page will show up immediately, whether or not they include a tag. Your tweet will automatically be posted to your twibe page and to Twitter (and be seen by all of your followers). If you would like your tweet to show only on the twibe page and NOT sent to all your Twitter followers, check the box labeled, “Post to twibe page only.”

As a member of a twibe, you can also easily follow, @reply, or Direct Message (DM) twibe members (but only if the member is also following you). You can do this by placing your mouse over a member’s profile picture and clicking on one of the options that pop up.

If you are not signed in at Twibes, clicking any of these options will take you to Twitter, where you can complete the action. If you are signed in at Twibes but are not a member of the twibe you are viewing, you may follow a member of that twibe by following the above directions. However, clicking @reply or DM will take you to Twitter, as the tweet box for that twibe will not be visible to you.

Is OAuth providing adequate security?
OAuth (Open Authorization; read about it here) is a log-in protocol used by many Web sites, including Yahoo and Google. Twibes uses OAuth to authenticate you with Twitter so that we know who you are without ever seeing your Twitter password. OAuth is the most secure way to allow an application to access your tweets and post to Twitter on your behalf.

You can make it so Twibes cannot see your private Twitter data at any time from your Twitter account, by logging in to Twitter and going here.

Does my Twitter list automatically update from its relevant twibe?
Yes. When you click “Make Twitter List” just above the members’ photos on your twibe page, Twibes will create a Twitter list for you that you will be able to see on Twitter. Twibes will add/remove people from the Twitter list as they join or leave the twibe, usually within a day or two.

Is our twibe private, or are people pulling info from it?
All twibes are public and display only your public tweets. Twibes will not work for you if you have protected updates.

Why do I have to allow access to my Twitter account every single time I log in?
As long as you stay logged in to Twitter and use the same browser, Twibes should remember you for about a month. If you log in to Twitter with other accounts, have cookies turned off, or switch browsers, Twibes will request that you re-log in.

Have more questions? Revisit our help topics, or contact us via our feedback page.