【TV Movie Archives】

Twitter is TV Movie Archivestesting a new feature that could fundamentally change the nature of the platform.

On Wednesday, Twitter announced that it would test new controls that would allow a user to select, tweet by tweet, who could respond to their post.

Who's invited to your party? Credit: Twitter

With a new permissions button that appears in the bottom left corner of a tweet, users will be able to choose whether they want any Joe Schmo to be able to reply (currently the norm, and the default going forward), whether "people you follow" can reply, or whether "only people you mention" can weigh in.

A "small" percentage of users have received the test, and Twitter didn't say whether it will be rolling out more widely in the future.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

For the past few years, Twitter has been studying and testing various ways to improve "conversational health" on the platform. That's a fancy term for cutting down on trolling.

Mashable Light Speed Want more out-of-this world tech, space and science stories? Sign up for Mashable's weekly Light Speed newsletter. By clicking Sign Me Up, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Thanks for signing up!

Twitter doesn't explicitly connect the test to that initiative. But in a blog post announcing the feature, it says that "we're exploring how we can improve these settings to give people more opportunities to weigh in while still giving people control over the conversations they start." The blog post references "reply guys" when it explains that "unwanted replies make it hard to have meaningful conversations."

If a person does come across a tweet they're not allowed to respond to, the reply button will be grayed out. If a person tries to reply, a pop-up will explain what's going on.

You're not invited. Credit: twitter

Being a place where anyone can weigh in on any conversation (unless your account is private) is a double-edged sword. It can lead to connections and creativity, and so many funny memes. But it also has enabled harassment and toxicity.

Twitter users might be upset about the power this gives "blue check marks" (people with verified accounts) to make conversations closed and elitist, especially if they use that "people I'm following" setting. Some users, like Lil Nas X, are already joking about their exclusive tweets.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

Jokes aside, the settings could also be a useful way to facilitate conversations with experts, or free tweeters to share opinions with less fear. Plus, the "everyone" reply setting is still the default, and anyone can still "Retweet with comment." Twitter just made it easier to follow "retweets with comments," too.

The move to rein in a nasty reply thread is not totally unprecedented. In November 2019, Twitter gave users the ability to hide replies to their tweets from specific users.

There is a lot to test with the new feature. Will it change Twitter too much? If so, how angry will people get? And will Twitter roll it out to everyone?That's up to Dorsey and co. to decide.

Topics Social Media X/Twitter

• Deals
• Life
• Games
• Digital Culture
• Social Good
• Shopping
• Tech
• Science

• NYT Connections Sports Edition hints and answers for April 23: Tips to solve Connections #212
• Man leaked classified Pentagon docs via Discord — now he’s sentenced to 15 years in prison
• ATP Finals 2024 livestream: Watch live tennis for free
• That story about ChatGPT saving someone's life turned out to be a hoax
• Best Samsung Frame deal: Free Music Frame with Frame Pro art TV purchase
• Google Gemini is now available for the iPhone
• 2025 dating trends, according to Bumble
• Best Beats deal: Save $50 on Studio Buds at Target
• Best IPL deal: Save $80 on Braun IPL Silk·Expert
• 2025 dating trends, according to Bumble

• Ashton Kutcher's LinkedIn page shows exactly why sexism persists in tech
• Instagram Stories get photo and video replies
• Twitter gets a win in lawsuit against U.S. government for right to reveal data requests
• #BizChats: How to adopt the mindset of a UX expert with Mona Patel
• RED Hydrogen, the world's first holographic phone, launches in 2018
• This is Doomfist, the 25th 'Overwatch' hero
• False alarm: Tesla isn't closing all its stores
• Bill Murray is opening a 'Caddyshack' restaurant near Chicago
• A 'Game of Thrones' exhibition is on its way to you
• Emma Stone's comments about the Hollywood pay gap give us mixed feelings

• A Typical Wall Street Republican
• Best iPad deal: Save $200 on the M2 iPad Air at Amazon
• What is 4B and who can participate?
• Best Black Friday Apple deal: Save $200 on iPhone 13
• Apple iPhone 17 Pro leaks highlight major new design change
• Best streaming deal: Get the Amazon Fire TV Cube for $99.99
• Google Gemini is now available for the iPhone
• NYT Connections Sports Edition hints and answers for November 14: Tips to solve Connections #52
• 'Mario Kart World' Nintendo Direct: 3 takeaways
• NYT Connections Sports Edition hints and answers for November 14: Tips to solve Connections #52

• SpaceX's Starlink will provide free satellite internet to families in Texas school district
• Best coffee machine deal: Save $53.98 on Nespresso Vertuo Pop+
• Best early Black Friday AirPods deal: Get AirPods 3 for under $100
• Best Black Friday VPN deal: 61% off ExpressVPN
• Best iPad deal: Save $132 on Apple iPad (10th Gen)
• Crashing out: Why is the internet obsessed with the term 'crash out?'
• Arkadium mini crossword answers for November 14
• Arkadium mini crossword answers for November 13
• NYT Strands hints, answers for May 18
• Best Black Friday TV deal: Save $1,400 on 100