TWITTER TESTS ‘SOFT BLOCK’ FEATURE TO REMOVE UNWANTED FOLLOWERS

Thu 09 September 2021:

Twitter is testing a tool that allows users to ban annoying followers without removing them permanently.

It’s a less drastic alternative than hitting the “block” button, which is frequently publicized across timelines when the blocked user screenshots and shares the notification.

With the new “soft block” feature, users can remove followers by going to their profile page, clicking “followers” and then the three dot icon next to the follower’s name, and selecting “remove this follower”. The former follower will not be notified by Twitter.

Unlike blocking, which prevents someone from accessing a user’s tweets or sending them direct messages, the removed follower’s tweets will simply no longer appear in their timeline.

We’re making it easier to be the curator of your own followers list. Now testing on web: remove a follower without blocking them.

To remove a follower, go to your profile and click “Followers”, then click the three dot icon and select “Remove this follower”. pic.twitter.com/2Ig7Mp8Tnx

— Twitter Support (@TwitterSupport) September 7, 2021

The experiment, which is now taking place with a small sample of users, is Twitter’s most recent attempt to address privacy and abuse concerns on the platform.

The US firm, which has more than 200 million active users, began testing an anti-troll function earlier this month that will instantly block accounts who send abuse. If a user activates Twitter’s new “safety mode,” the company’s servers will temporarily block accounts for seven days if they use abusive language or send repetitive, unwanted responses and mentions.

According to Bloomberg, Twitter is planning a series of tests to give users new privacy options, with follower removal and safety mode being the first. Users will be able to archive old tweets and remove them from public view after a set period of time, such as 30, 60, or 90 days; they will be asked whether they want their account to be public or private; they will be able to hide liked tweets from public view; and they will be able to remove themselves from a public Twitter conversation.

Following a bombardment of condemnation in July, when black England footballers were subjected to racist tweets in the aftermath of the European Championship final, Twitter is under pressure to better safeguard its users from abuse. During the three group stage matches of the competition, a Guardian analysis of Twitter tweets addressed at and naming the England squad found over 2,000 nasty remarks, including scores of racist posts.

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