Twitter Tests Direct DM Tool, Triggers Safety Concerns

pcmag.com:

Twitter is testing a shortcut that lets iOS users Direct Message someone from a tweet. Rather than searching the Messages tab or visiting a profile, simply tapping the envelope icon allows the connection.

"For when you want to reply directly to a tweet's author, we're making it easier to DM them from your timeline to start a conversation," Twitter explained, which is trialing the feature "with some of you on iOS."

Currently, users must either visit the account's profile and click the Messages icon, or navigate to the sidebar tool and manually search for the intended recipient before even starting to type. Twitter's shortcut, meanwhile, would save folks a tap or two when trying to directly contact a person or organization.

"Please don't do this," lawyer and TV personality Eliza Orlins wrote in a reply to Twitter Support. "One extra step of having to go to someone's profile to send a DM cuts back on harassment," she continued. "At least give us a safety feature to not allow this on our tweets."

History has proven how problematic DMs can be. Despite its various attempts at limiting harassment and abuse via direct messages, Twitter is still trying to strike a balance between open communication and online safety. In 2019, it began filtering flagged content into the app's "Message requests" folder, where users can decide to read or delete unwanted correspondence.

Twitter did not immediately respond to PCMag's request for comment. However, a company spokesperson told The Verge that this experiment "is not changing the current settings of anyone's DMs." "We're always exploring ways to make DMs more accessible and valuable for people on Twitter, and they will always remain in control," the emailed statement said. "Anyone has the