Twitter has reversed a change designed to tackle abuse on the site after some users complained it only served to hide offensive content rather than prevent it.
The social media site announced on Monday that it would no longer send notifications to users when they were added to a list by other Twitter users, but quickly received complaints that this greatly limited the feature and only hid abuse from view and did not stop it.
We want you to get notifications that matter. Starting today, you won't get notified when you are added to a list. https://t.co/82xiaZbg1W
— Twitter Safety (@TwitterSafety) February 13, 2017
Members are able to create personalised lists with custom names, a system which some use to abuse others by adding them to lists with offensive titles, which would then appear in notifications.
We heard your feedback – this was a misstep. We’re rolling back the change and we’ll keep listening. https://t.co/9ozPS4XlVI
— Twitter Safety (@TwitterSafety) February 13, 2017
This sparked the decision to remove the notification feature, however it was withdrawn just two hours after launch following hundreds of complaints from users.
Twitter has been frequently criticised for the way it handles incidents of abuse and alleged online bullying, with high-profile users such as Stephen Fry having quit the site over suggestions it does not do enough to protect those on it.
The social media site also reported a loss of £133 million in its most recent financial results as questions remain over the long-term future of the site, despite reporting an increase in users to 319 million.
