Twitter is continually rolling out new features that absolutely no one asked for, and on Tuesday, Twitter Support announced a limited roll-out on its iOS app of a new experiment: Twitter will apparently scan your tweet for language that could be harmful and put up a prompt to see if you really mean to send it in the heat of the moment.
When things get heated, you may say things you don't mean. To let you rethink a reply, we’re running a limited experiment on iOS with a prompt that gives you the option to revise your reply before it’s published if it uses language that could be harmful.
— Twitter Support (@TwitterSupport) May 5, 2020
We just wanted an edit button. pic.twitter.com/NZJihpAYAo
— Charlie Oscar Lima (@BaconOutlaw) May 5, 2020
Twitter’s already announced another option no one asked for: the ability to receive replies only from people you follow, thereby eliminating “the ratio.” And then there was an experimental feature to flag tweets with brightly colored labels “directly beneath lies and misinformation posted by politicians and public figures.” How about this for a feature: just let people post what they want?
The thought police are watching more closely every day.
— Mark Dice (@MarkDice) May 5, 2020
— Samuel Nicholas (@Teufelshunde_95) May 5, 2020
So in a way you're promoting self censorship ?
— str_replace (@str_replace) May 5, 2020
Who are the gods that get to decide what words are harmful?
— StephStance (@StephStance) May 5, 2020
Let me stick out my hands and you can slap them with a ruler okay
— crafter00 (@crafternut) May 5, 2020
Okay Mom.
— AJ?? ?️??⭐️⭐️⭐️ (@AJCalMaga) May 5, 2020
For science, could you also experiment with a prompt that suggests derogatory terms that could be added to tweets that would otherwise lack them?
— Haunted Backlog (@Haunted_Backlog) May 5, 2020
Recommended
Thank You, Ministry of Truth !!!!
I love Big Brother…
— Your Mom (@YourServiceYW) May 5, 2020
So all i gotta do now us swear in every tweet in order for the revise option to become available?
— RD (@BuckFoston_) May 5, 2020
Is my mom running Twitter now? https://t.co/qIOlRGWtiM
— Tristin Hopper (@TristinHopper) May 5, 2020
Twitter's gonna be going to be telling us all it doesn't like our tone https://t.co/tOHyrpw3QT
— Chris Baker (@Zacnaloen) May 5, 2020
That sucks nobody asked for this
— Elijah del Medigo ? (@AnUntimelyMan) May 5, 2020
Please don’t
— FugueBurg (@Fugueburg) May 5, 2020
— Jshep72_ChinaLiedPeopleDied (@j_shep72) May 5, 2020
What the …
— Gabor Gurbacs (@gaborgurbacs) May 5, 2020
Does “ducking” count? pic.twitter.com/eihEziXeM1
— Andrew Feinberg (@AndrewFeinberg) May 5, 2020
Who asked you to censor the speech of a freedom-loving people? Do you consider us all too foolish to read and think for ourselves?
— Addicted to Truth (@sbs4md) May 5, 2020
Except of course you can say anything you want if you are aligned with @jack's Stalinist views, official @TheDemocrats hate statements or PRC propaganda (or propaganda bots) – then you are a-ok with @TwitterSupport https://t.co/zcmbMX5mIt
— Tony Shaffer (@T_S_P_O_O_K_Y) May 5, 2020
This is the new "hey Brian, you sound like a dick right now, rewrite your tweet" feature. https://t.co/igZcoYy3p8
— Brian Lovett aka BLOVE (@blovereviews) May 5, 2020
it looks like you're trying to call someone the N-word. Would you like help? https://t.co/3ISXU8KbYQ pic.twitter.com/PuKpeUnfs2
— polar (@p01arst0rm) May 5, 2020
"we noticed you're calling this white woman a k*ren, are you sure you want to proceed?" https://t.co/lFD2KGfV1G
— today's gender: bottomless pit of despair ??️? (@KropotBot9000) May 5, 2020
Are you sure you want to do a Thought Crime™ Y/N? https://t.co/jLIWfNrqzS
— Honey Pot (@MadameHoneyPot) May 5, 2020
Twitter's new feature, summarized: https://t.co/D6eYKouILD pic.twitter.com/iOsmh6g31I
— Josh Jordan (@NumbersMuncher) May 5, 2020
So Twitter will scan your tweet for language that could be harmful and give you the opportunity to rethink your reply? That’s not what anybody asked for.
Related:
GOTTA be kidding us: Twitter’s new feature allows users to report others for tweeting ‘misleading info about a political election’ https://t.co/yDdcPG5i9b
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) January 30, 2020