Twitter now allows you to discreetly soft block followers

[midian182]

What just happened? Are there people on your Twitter followers list whom you wish weren't there but don't want to block—for whatever reason? Then here's some good news: the service is now rolling out a way to remove these accounts using a soft block feature.

Soft blocking someone on Twitter means they will no longer see your tweets on their timelines, and they won't be informed of their removal. However, unlike a full block, they will still be able to direct message you, and they can still follow you again if they wish.

To use the soft block feature, simply go to your profile and click on 'Followers.' From here, click on the three dots next to the person's name and select 'Remove this follower.' It's currently only available to web users; no word on when or if it's coming to the Twitter app.

The feature is the latest introduced by Twitter to help users avoid the trolls and abuse the platform has become infamous for, while allowing them more control over the experience. The company is also testing a tool on Android and iOS that will warn users if a conversation they're about to enter could become overly intense or heated. A way of supporting healthy conversation, as Twitter puts it.

In September, Twitter started testing safety mode, a feature that identifies and temporarily blocks accounts for seven days for using harmful language—such as insults or harmful remarks—or sending repetitive and uninvited replies or mentions.

Ever want to know the vibe of a conversation before you join in? We’re testing prompts on Android and iOS that give you a heads up if the convo you’re about to enter could get heated or intense.

This is a work in progress as we learn how to better support healthy conversation. pic.twitter.com/x6Nsn3HPu1

— Twitter Support (@TwitterSupport) October 6, 2021

The mental health impact of social media platforms is currently under the spotlight like never before. Facebook is dealing with reports that it knows how harmful Instagram can be to teenage girls' mental well-being, as well as the whistleblower revelations. The firm recently made a bad situation worse by banning and sending a cease-and-desist letter to the developer of the Unfollow Everything extension, a tool that could potentially lessen the site's addictive and depressing nature.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/91703-twitter-now-allows-you-discreetly-soft-block-followers.html

 

[R00sT3R]

Yet more of the 'only those who agree with my personal echo chamber view, need apply' controls.

This is why so many of the fools who waste their lives on Twitter, can't understand why faux online Twitter outrage, isn't translated into real world action.

The noisy minority echo chamber mob that populate it never hear any dissenting opinion, so always think their views are the only views that count, so the anger levels just keep rising & rising in Western society.

Just another example of how & why Twitter needs to die...

 

[Superconductor]

Twitter is for the degenerate generation...oxymoron Pun intended

 

[merikafyeah]

Categorically speaking there isn't a reason for someone who isn't a frail snowflake to use soft blocks and shadow bans. If you want to block someone, block them. Full stop. No need for any of this wishy-washy passive-aggressive nonsense.

 

[Nobina]

As if people who are blocked won't notice and then read your tweets from a different account.

I don't follow many people on Twitter and I don't take whatever they tweet seriously, neither do they. If that is something you get upset over you might have a developing mental ilness. This is something that should go without saying but it doesn't.

 

[ZedRM]

Twitter is useless. Perhaps they should require people to think for themselves instead of being thought police. Special-snowflaking in force... Pathetic platform.