Twitter to release tool that exports users' tweet history

Twitter is developing a new tool that will let users export their whole tweet history -- everything from smart observations to those embarrassing tweets that people may not want to remember.

"We're working on a tool to let users export all of their tweets," Twitter CEO Dick Costolo said in a meeting with The New York Times yesterday. "You'll be able to download a file of them."

As of now, users can only search back through the last few thousand posts. And even though third-party sites and apps let users backup their tweets, they can be costly or cumbersome. Some third party sites like Politwoops lets users see just the record of certain people's tweets, such as politicians.

Other social media companies, such as Facebook, have already rolled out backup systems for users, according to The New York Times. Twitter's growth in popularity and transition to an international news and communication network has obviously created a demand for a similar type of export feature.

Even though the new tool will let users look at their own tweets, Costolo told the Times that it wouldn't let people explore other users' backlogs of posts. This is significant because the company is in the middle of a lawsuit with New York State over tweet records of an Occupy Wall Street protester, in which the social network is refusing to hand over the protester's history.

Costolo did not tell The New York Times when the tool will become available but he did confirm it is in the works.