Twitter expands Safety Mode beta test in Canada

Source: Twitter

After testing out its anti-abuse tool with a small group in September, Twitter has started rolling out the beta version of Safety Mode for more users across its English-speaking markets, including Canada. Extending testing means the company can get more insights into how the feature works and make necessary adjustments. Aside from expanding the rollout, Safety Mode can now prompt users when the app thinks you might need it enabled.

As TechCrunch wrote, Safety Mode is a defensive tool instead of one that proactively nudges conversations in the right direction. The idea behind the feature is to give users under attack a way to put up a defensive system without manually blocking each account harassing them. That can be difficult when a tweet goes viral, exposing the poster to potentially elevated levels of abuse. It doesn't just cover celebrities or public figures, but it could be members of marginalized communities, female journalists, and sometimes even ordinary folk.

It automatically blocks accounts for seven days when it detects replies to an original poster containing harmful language or repetitively uninvited hateful replies or insults. During this period, blocked accounts won't be able to follow the original poster's Twitter account, see their tweets and replies, or send them Direct Messages.

Source: Twitter

Twitter's algorithm determines who to block by studying the language used in the replies and examining the relationship between the tweet's author and the replier. The account won't be blocked if they follow the person replying or interact with them frequently.

Twitter introduced the prompt to enable Safety Mode as a result of feedback from early testers. The company learned its users want more help identifying when an attack might be underway. So, when the system detects potentially harmful or uninvited replies, you might see a prompt in your Home Timeline or a device notification to quickly enable Safety Mode.