Twitter Expands 'Safety Mode' Beta, Adds Proactive Prompts
Twitter is expanding its "Safety Mode" beta to help more users limit unwanted interactions online.
Previously open to around 750 English-speaking users, the feature will now roll out to 50% of (randomly selected) Twitter users in the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, and the UK, as reported by The Verge. More access means more insights into the effectiveness of Safety Mode—and what still needs work. Those selected for Twitter's beta test can turn on Safety Mode via Settings > Privacy > Safety.
Introduced last fall, the feature automatically blocks unwelcome interactions on Twitter for seven days. Offending accounts are cut off "for using potentially harmful language—such as insults or hateful remarks—or sending repetitive and uninvited replies or mentions," the company said in September.
Twitter relies on computer algorithms to determine which messages to head off; tweets sent from folks you follow or frequently interact with are not automatically blocked. "We won't always get this right and may make mistakes," the social network admitted, inviting folks to see and remove autoblocks any time from the app settings.
Everyone has their own definition of harassment; what offends one may not offend another. This is why Twitter is also introducing proactive prompts as a way of helping users identify interactions that are potentially harmful. A company spokesperson told The Verge, "our technology will now proactively identify potentially harmful or uninvited replies, and prompt people in the beta to consider enabling Safety Mode. This update further reduces the burden on people dealing with unwelcome interactions."
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