Clubhouse Comes Full Circle With Addition of Text Chat Function

Social audio app Clubhouse has now come full circle with the addition of in-room text chat for those who might not want to interject or are uncomfortable speaking.

In a new blog post detailing the update, the social media platform says that the new feature will give a voice to those who wish to participate silently. “We know not everyone in the community wants to raise their hands and jump on stage to participate,” it reads. “Many of you want a way to join in on the conversation from the comfort of the audience. And we get it – cause even on the internet, stage fright exists.”

With the new in-room chat feature, users will now be able to contribute through texting in real-time during audio conversations and sessions. If text chat is enabled for a certain room, you’ll find a chat icon on the bottom left of your screen next to the Share and Clip icons. Of course, there are also measures in place to prevent abuse and toxicity. Clubhouse says that creators will always be in full control over the chat, and aside from choosing whether to enable the feature in your room, you’ll also be able to turn it off at any time or even delete any message you wish. Creators will also be able to appoint moderators to mod and maintain the chat, removing any trolls or toxic accounts from the room. If there’s been abusive behavior, users can also report them directly or block the account completely.

For those on Clubhouse, the new in-room text chat feature will begin to roll out today on both iOS and Android versions.

Elsewhere in tech, Apple has updated its AirTags with anti-stalking alerts.