Twitter’s upcoming feature to filter graphic media in your DM

Twitter is working on a new option to filter graphic media in your DM. Here is how it may work.

Twitter is testing a new feature (REUTERS)

Twitter is testing a new feature that will help filter graphic media shared in your Direct Messages (DM).

Spotted by reverse engineer Jane Manchun Wong, the filter appears with a toggle button to enable/disable the graphic content, most likely photos and videos.

Twitter is working on an option for filtering graphic media,

making sure you always have the freedom to look at the dicc pics unfiltered without warning if you want pic.twitter.com/6Z7ESF8KWF

— Jane Manchun Wong (@wongmjane) November 11, 2020

“Twitter is working on an option for filtering graphic media, making sure you always have the freedom to look at the dicc pics unfiltered without warning if you want,” said Wong in a tweet.

Note that the feature does not block the graphic media but hides it from view. It requires users to tap on the toggle to view the media. The feature is quite similar to the filter on Facebook and Instagram for graphic photos and videos.

“Display warnings over messages detected to potentially containing graphic media (like nudity, sexual content, or violence). You'll always the option to view the media if you want,” reads a prompt for such content in DMs.

As of now, there is no word on when or whether the feature will arrive for end-users. That said, it's likely to help users, especially women, receive unwanted graphic content in their direct messages.

Twitter is working on misinformation warning on Likes, just like the ones for Quote Tweets / Retweets pic.twitter.com/BLlmaw5RZK

— Jane Manchun Wong (@wongmjane) November 9, 2020

Separately, Twitter is also testing a new feature that is aimed at curtailing the spread of misinformation on its platform. The feature essentially shows a prompt when someone likes content that is labelled as misinformation. A similar prompt appears when someone retweets such content. This feature was also spotted by reverse engineer Wong.

Social media platforms have come under the scanner for struggling to contain the spread of misinformation, fake news, abuse, and sexual content. Even though the likes of Facebook, Twitter, and Google tried to take stricter actions during and after US presidential elections, such content continues to go viral on these platforms.