twitterlogoTwitter has announced a new "Quality Filter" feature that enables users to filter notifications so that they only see "quality tweets" and mentions from people they follow.

The feature initially rolled out as a test and was created partly as a means to combat users' exposure to abusive trolls, but Twitter says the filter is now available to everyone.

"Last year we began testing a quality filter setting and we're now rolling out a feature for everyone. When turned on, the filter can improve the quality of Tweets you see by using a variety of signals, such as account origin and behavior," Twitter said in a blog post.

The filter works using an algorithm to distinguish between good and abusive mentions. Any duplicate tweets or automated content identified by the feature are also filtered out of feeds, so that users don't see them at all when browsing the social media service.


Content from accounts users follow and any recent interactions with accounts they don't, aren't affected by the filter, according to Twitter.

To turn the Quality Filter on or off in the iOS app, users can tap Notifications in the navigation bar, tap the Settings icon at the top left of the screen, and toggle the associated feature switch. A second option on the screen ensures users only see tweets from people they follow.

Tag: Twitter

Top Rated Comments

Mac32 Avatar
109 months ago
Quality filter, hmm..right. Something tells me this filter will disproportionally affect conservative voices and immigration and Islam critics, but not extremist leftwing groups like Black Lives Matters, or subversive NGOs like George Soros-funded Open Society Foundations.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Supacon Avatar
109 months ago
Quality filter, hmm..right. Something tells me this filter will disproportionally affect conservative voices and immigration and Islam critics, but not extremist leftwing groups like Black Lives Matters, or subversive NGOs like George Soros-funded Open Society Foundations.
If "conservative voices and immigration and Islam critics" roughly translates to "disrespectful people, xenophobes and racists", then yeah, you're probably spot-on. And that's kind of the point.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Supacon Avatar
109 months ago
Speaking as a liberal, be awfully careful with that thought process. Maybe today, voices you dislike are censored, but tomorrow it could be yours and you'll have already supported the system to do so.

People should be allowed to express views so long as they aren't specifically advocating violence or for the soul purpose of harassing someone.

We've already seen the incredibly selectively-enforced ToS from Twitter so I don't have much confidence, especially considering the types of people they've been seeking advice from to deal with the issue.

It is entirely illiberal to censor opinions that we don't like rather than defeat them in the open arena of debate, provided it's done so respectfully.
I agree with you; I do not believe in censorship. A private system blocking abusive messages to its users is a far cry from "censorship". People can still go and read such messages if they really want.

I consider myself conservative in some ways, so it pains me when people equate "conservatism" with being hateful and disrespectful. I'm not saying, for instance, that being "Anti-immigration" is inherently xenophobic, but fears or concern about immigration so often tend to be rooted in a fear of other people and a belief that they are a threat because they are different.

Calling "Black Lives Matter" an "extremist left-wing movement" sounds like shades of racism to me. Yes, there are protests that have unfortunately resulted in violence that are associated with this movement, but BLM does NOT equal violence, and advocating against racism does not equal communism. Equating those sounds like being flagrantly dismissive and disrespectful of the real issues of racism and institutional abuse that it is attempting to bring to light.

There's nothing wrong with having a belief, but certain beliefs do seem conducive to manifesting torrents of abuse on people who do not deserve it. So if by "filtering abusive tweets" is interpreted as "censoring conservative opinions" maybe we should really go back to the drawing board and evaluate what we really mean when we label something as conservatism.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
patrickbarnes Avatar
109 months ago
Quality filter, hmm..right. Something tells me this filter will disproportionally affect conservative voices and immigration and Islam critics, but not extremist leftwing groups like Black Lives Matters, or subversive NGOs like George Soros-funded Open Society Foundations.
It just removes spam from the notification list. It doesn't actually filter out tweets.

But I block all the people at the start of your list anyway as they add nothing to the world. No big deal. :)
[doublepost=1471621188][/doublepost]
What problem
The massive amount of spam/troll accounts and bots.
[doublepost=1471621412][/doublepost]
Speaking as a liberal, be awfully careful with that thought process. Maybe today, voices you dislike are censored, but tomorrow it could be yours and you'll have already supported the system to do so.

People should be allowed to express views so long as they aren't specifically advocating violence or for the soul purpose of harassing someone.

We've already seen the incredibly selectively-enforced ToS from Twitter so I don't have much confidence, especially considering the types of people they've been seeking advice from to deal with the issue.

It is entirely illiberal to censor opinions that we don't like rather than defeat them in the open arena of debate, provided it's done so respectfully.
Have you tried posting anything to your friends on Twitter and had a troll army monitoring search results (I.e. Completely outside your network) come and harass you for no reason? Because that happens every single day.

You're all missing the point anyway. This isn't censoring anything. It just removes low follower accounts that you're not connected to from the notification list. The article could be written better.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
macs4nw Avatar
109 months ago
They had to act..... the trolling and abusive tweets are getting outta hand and intolerable.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
OldSchoolMacGuy Avatar
109 months ago
Right. Twitter is filtering FOR ME, regardless of what I think might be valuable.
Then don't use it. Quit crying baby. It's not a required feature, just one that those of us with large followings will find very useful.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

Generic iOS 18

Apple Announces iOS 18.2 Launching Today With These New Features

Wednesday December 11, 2024 5:23 am PST by
Apple has announced that iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS Sequoia 15.2 will be released today following more than six weeks of beta testing. For the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 models, the update introduces additional Apple Intelligence features, including Genmoji for creating custom emoji, Image Playground and Image Wand for generating images, and ChatGPT integration for Siri. There is also ...
iphone 17 pro concept render cameras

Major iPhone 17 Pro Redesign Backed by Supply Chain Info, Claims Leaker

Thursday December 12, 2024 4:36 am PST by
Next year's iPhone 17 Pro models will reportedly feature a major redesign, specifically centering around changes to the rear camera module, and now new supply chain information appears to confirm the striking change, according to a Chinese leaker. iPhone 17 Pro concept render Late last month, The Information's Wayne Ma claimed that the rear of the ‌iPhone 17‌ Pro and ‌iPhone 17‌ Pro...
m4 mac mini hands on

Cloud-Based M4 and M4 Pro Mac Mini Models Now Available

Wednesday December 11, 2024 7:34 am PST by
Developers now have access to cloud-based M4 and M4 Pro Mac mini units via MacWeb, a Silicon Valley-based provider of cloud services. The company has launched three configurations of the new Mac mini, powered by Apple's M4 and M4 Pro chips. Developers and IT teams can rent these machines for tasks ranging from basic development to advanced artificial intelligence modeling, providing an...
macOS Sequoia Night Feature

Apple Releases macOS Sequoia 15.2 With New Apple Intelligence Features

Wednesday December 11, 2024 10:02 am PST by
Apple today released macOS Sequoia 15.2, the second update to the macOS Sequoia operating system that was released in September. macOS Sequoia 15.2 comes over a month after the release of macOS Sequoia 15.1. Mac users can download the ‌macOS Sequoia‌ update through the Software Update section of System Settings. macOS Sequoia 15.2 adds Image Playground, an app that lets you create...
maxresdefault

Apple Releases iOS 18.2 and iPadOS 18.2 With Genmoji, Image Playground, Siri ChatGPT and More

Wednesday December 11, 2024 10:03 am PST by
Apple today released iOS 18.2 and iPadOS 18.2, the second major updates to the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 updates that came out in September. The new updates come over a month after Apple released iOS 18.1 and iPadOS 18.1. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General >...
macbook air m2 13 inch

macOS Sequoia 15.2 Confirms New M4 MacBook Air Models Are Coming

Wednesday December 11, 2024 10:54 am PST by
Apple today made a mistake with its macOS Sequoia 15.2 update, releasing the software for two Macs that have yet to be launched. There is a software file for "Mac16,12" and "Mac16,13," which are upcoming MacBook Air models. The leaked software references the "MacBook Air (13-inch, M4, 2025)" and the "MacBook Air (15-inch, M4, 2025)," confirming that new M4 MacBook Air models are in...
Generic iOS 18

Apple Seeds Second Release Candidate Versions of iOS 18.2 and More With Genmoji, Image Playground and ChatGPT Integration

Monday December 9, 2024 10:06 am PST by
Apple today seeded the second release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS 15.2 updates to developers and public beta testers for testing purposes, a week after releasing the first RCs. The first iOS 18.2 RC had a build number of 22C150, while the second RC's build number is 22C151. Release candidates represent the final version of beta software that's expected to see a ...