Twitter introduced Safety Mode last year, a feature that tries to protect users from spam and abuse on the platform. It is an auto-moderation program that looks for insults, repeated mentions, and other red flags that indicate potentially harmful interactions. The beta feature has been tested with a small group of users, but the business has now begun to roll it out to more individuals. According to Twitter, over half of all users in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Ireland, and New Zealand will now have access to this service.
For seven days, Safety Mode disables or mutes accounts that are potentially aggressive or spammy. This automatically isolates selected users for a set period of time. In the event that the algorithm incorrectly flags a response as hazardous, users can manually approve the block list of suggested accounts. A Twitter spokeswoman told The Verge in a statement:
Safety Mode was formerly limited to 750 beta testers, but it will now be available to 50% of the population in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Ireland, and New Zealand. We’ve noticed that some consumers seek assistance detecting undesirable interactions since the beta’s initial launch in September. As a result, our system will now proactively identify potentially hazardous or unwelcome responses, prompting beta participants to consider turning on Safety Mode. This upgrade makes it easier for folks who have to cope with unwanted interactions.
If a user receives a detrimental response, Twitter will advise them to utilize Safety Mode to protect themselves from online trolls and harassers. This prompt will draw attention to the feature for individuals who aren’t aware of its presence. For the time being, it’s unclear when or if the feature will be expanded to more regions. Given how language-dependent it is, it may take some time for the corporation to figure out how to make it correct in languages other than English.
