Twitter is testing new prompts on iOS and Android that warn before you jump into a conversation that could get heated. In one example, there’s a prompt dropped right into a conversation in progress that says “conversations like this can be intense.” In another, which seems like it appears if you try to reply to one of those intense conversations, is titled “let’s look out for each other” and lays out three bullet points to encourage empathetic and fact-based conversations.
You can get a look at the prompts in the tweet below:
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 prompts are the company’s latest attempt to reduce the persistent harassment and abuse on the platform. One other prompt, for example, warns you before you tweet something that might be offensive. Twitter also might show a prompt if you try to retweet an article it thinks you haven’t read, which could help decrease the spread of misinformation. While they might help prevent some bad tweets from being shared, the growing list of potential warnings to wade through before you tweet is a worrying indicator of the entire experience.
As always, if you’re not sure if you should post something, the best pre-tweet prompt is the one that Twitter won’t show you: never tweet.
