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| Twitter is testing sending private messages directly from tweets |
Twitter is exploring a new way to send private messages on iOS, including allowing users to send you private messages through links in your tweets, as well as bypassing the direct messages button on your account.
The platform says this makes it easy to start a conversation from your timeline. However, this can be a problem for many users.
If you would like to reply directly to the author of a tweet, we can easily send them a private message from your timeline to start the conversation. "They are now testing each other's private message codes via tweets on iOS," she added.
As Attorney General Elisa Orleans points out, providing links to private messages can make users more vulnerable to harassment.
Orleans said the extra step of accessing someone's account to send them a private message is to reduce harassment.
Instead of logging into your account to access the Send Private Message button, users can share their thoughts via a private message without ever leaving the timeline.
It is not clear who will benefit from this feature. Close friends may want a quick way to connect with each other.
However, most people would like to get into a friend's account to send them a message or just follow a conversation found in the message box.
Twitter testing raises public safety concerns
Giving users a shortcut to access someone's private messages can cause all sorts of problems.
The platform knows that bad private information can be a problem. For this reason, a feature was introduced in 2019 to automatically filter the misuse of private information.
When this new private message button comes out of beta, it is unclear whether users will be able to disable the feature for security and privacy reasons.
This private experience will not change anyone's existing private messaging settings. This says Twitter spokeswoman Charlotte Catania.
"We are always looking for ways to make private messaging more accessible and valuable for users of the platform," she added. Private messages remain fully controllable. Each user can turn off private messages through settings.