New Twitter changes should make it easier to avoid the drama llamas

Twitter (Image credit: iMore)

What you need to know

Twitter is rolling out a feature that will warn people if a thread could get intends or heated.
The new feature is a "work in progress" and appears to be enjoying a slow rollout.

Twitter is rolling out a new feature that will make it easier for people to know what they're letting themselves in for when joining a conversation. The social network says that users will be told if a conversation "could get heated or intense" so they can make their own minds up about whether to get involved or not.

The move, announced via the Twitter Support account, is rolling out to iOS users now but appears to be doing so slowly.

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/x6Nsn3HPu1Ever 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 October 6, 2021

This move comes after a report in June that suggested Twitter was working on new labels that would warn people about things like fake news and more. So far, it appears that Twitter is the company taking its responsibility to inform people of the risks of social media more seriously than any other. This new move is an important one, especially for people who would rather avoid the drama that can sometimes come with a Twitter rant.

These kinds of features also further set the official Twitter app out from the third-party options that many enjoy using, including me. Twitter is far from the best iPhone app for social network use, but it's the one that gets all of Twitter's features — unlike the options from third-party developers.

Of course, no Twitter app gets an edit button — maybe that'll come next!

Oliver Haslam has written about Apple and the wider technology business for more than a decade with bylines on How-To Geek, PC Mag, iDownloadBlog, and many more. He has also been published in print for Macworld, including cover stories. At iMore, Oliver is involved in daily news coverage and, not being short of opinions, has been known to 'explain' those thoughts in more detail, too. Having grown up using PCs and spending far too much money on graphics card and flashy RAM, Oliver switched to the Mac with a G5 iMac and hasn't looked back. Since then he's seen the growth of the smartphone world, backed by iPhone, and new product categories come and go. Current expertise includes iOS, macOS, streaming services, and pretty much anything that has a battery or plugs into a wall. Oliver also covers mobile gaming for iMore, with Apple Arcade a particular focus. He's been gaming since the Atari 2600 days and still struggles to comprehend the fact he can play console quality titles on his pocket computer.