That Twitter can be a dumpster fire on a train crashing into a septic tank is not news. Over the years, the company has made some effort to corral the trolls, but they were half-measures at best. Now, with rumblings that users feeling unsafe on the platform has torpedoed potential sales, Twitter is finally dropping the hammer.
To do this, they’re expanding the power of the mute key. Now, in addition to muting users, you can mute conversations, hashtags, keywords and phrases. The toxic sludge will still potentially be there, in other words, but at least you don’t have to see it. Twitter also claims that they’re retraining their notoriously lax support team, although a quick check of Twitter demonstrates that they have a long, long way to go.
While it’s good that the company has finally acknowledged what users have been demanding for years, it’s a bit sad that it took the company’s failed attempts to find a buyer to kickstart the process. If Twitter had only respected the concerns of its base before now, it might have a better reputation among its core users. Still, when it comes to freezing out online bullies, better late than never.
(via Wired)