Twitter's anti-harrasment measure leaves trolls shouting into the void

twitter-and-039;s-antiharrasment-measure-leaves-trolls-shouting-into-the-void photo 1 Getty Images

In a bid to stop trolling and online harassment, Twitter has now begun to reduce the reach of abusive accounts. The social media site's new vetting system temporarily restricts the tweets of abusive users, making them effectively invisible to those who don't already follow them. As well as stopping them being retweeted outside of their inner circle, this measure also works with mentions too. If the offending user tries to tweet at someone who isn't following them, for example, the intended receiver now won't get any notifications.

While this certainly isn't the first measure Twitter has taken against abusive behaviour, this latest step reinforces the company's commitment to cracking down on harassment. Predictably, some users aren't particularly happy about the new system. Since the new measures were implemented last week, one person has insisted that his account was restricted simply for using a word that Twitter deemed unacceptable. The social media giant, however, states that it looks at an account's behavior rather than simply just restricting people based on abusive language.

Article Twitter's anti-harrasment measure leaves trolls shouting into the void compiled by Original article here

Recommended stories

HTC's Vive Deluxe Audio Strap makes its VR headset more comfortable The SteamVR headset now has built-in headphones and a more comfortable head mount. Compared to Playstation VR and the Oculus Rift, HTC's Vive virtual reality headset is a bit of a face-hugger. It offers a window into beautiful virtual realms and boasts room-scale motion tracking but, well, it's just not very comfortable. Soon, that may change. HTC just announced that it's creating a Vive Deluxe Audio Strap to replace the headset's elastic headgear. Not only does the new strap look a lot more ergonomic, but it tacks on one of the Oculus Rift's most convenient features: built in headphones. At a glance, the new Vive head mount looks like a cross between the Rift's ridged strap system and PlayStation VR's adjustable plastic band. It reaches over the top of the user's head, like the Rift and the Vive's existing soft straps, but still features a adjustable sizing dial for tightening the band. That should be a marked improvement over the velcro belt adjusters that come with the stock band. HTC didn't say much about the headstrap's included headphones, but they seem to be a removable on-ear solution, not unlike what ships with the Oculus Rift. In other words, you'll still be able to use your own headphones if the built in audio isn't to your liking. At the end of the day, this still leaves the HTC Vive as a heavier VR headset than its competitors -- but it could go a long way to mitigating the Vive's biggest flaw. How much that fix will cost you is still up in the air: HTC says the new headgear is scheduled to ship sometime in Q2, but isn't willing to share its pricetag just yet.

The SteamVR headset now has built-in headphones and a more comfortable head mount.

More stories