Twitter introduces self-censor prompt to curtail potential ‘offensive’ tweets

Today the social media platform Twitter formally launched a reply feature that roadblocks language whenever their site algorithms detect “harmful or offensive” language.

It’s an expansion on the “do you want to read this article before retweeting it” prompt the platform introduced a while ago. Which in itself is part of the company’s overall healthy conversation effort that CEO Jack Dorsey put into place years prior.

You’ll still be able to say whatever you wanted to say in the first place to someone, if so desired. But this addition introduces a moment of self-reflection beforehand. So if you change your mind and want to edit or delete your intended reply instead, this is made easy for someone to do.

In a press release announcing the new self-censor feature, Twitter says they tested it last year. From the feedback the company received the company learned how to tweak the frequency these prompts pop up. As well as when exactly they’d appear.

With the nuance of the English language there’s enough room for open interpretations that needed to be considered.

There’s some insights explained in more depth. Engineers discovered that when someone was planning to "insults, strong language, or hateful remarks," and received the prompt: “34% of people revised their initial reply or decided to not send their reply at all.”

They further elaborate that after just one prompt, users used 11% less “offensive” language from then on.

From what we’re told, the algorithms now take into consideration how often an original tweet’s author and someone replying communicate with each other.

The announcement says the rollout is coming to iOS and Android. But inevitably desktop browsers will have it as well, at some point. They do say it’s for English-language settings for the time being.