As science has revealed, friction can have a very strong impact on forces. As it is in the case of Science, so too can friction greatly affect the amplification of negative online behavior. However, if friction can cause negative behaviors to increase, it can also reduce unnecessary angst and disagreement, even with just a simple heads-up.

A Year Later 

Last February, Twitter revived its test of warning prompts on Tweet replies, which its automated systems had determined could contain potentially offensive remarks. Twitter launched version one of the test back in May of 2020, shelving the test during the U.S presidential election period.

Version two of the test featured an updated alert format and was released to select iOS users. A new report on the experiment, which was released this week, reveals that at least 30% of cases where these prompts were shown to users had them either edit or delete their replies, avoiding possible misinterpretation or the risk of incurring a sanction.

Given the scale of Tweets, 30% is a significant amount. Just imagine if it was able to remove that much negativity and abuse, the platform would immediately be a much better place. Even more noteworthy is The fact that this is possible with just a simple ‘nudge’.

However, the number is also not fully reflective of the potential impact, as it actually means that in 30% of the recorded cases where it was shown, The Tweet author looked at the recommendation before proceeding to reassess their reply. In the other 70% of examples, Twitter’s algorithms would have likely gotten them wrong, in which case replies may not have been offensive at all. The benefits here, at least in terms of angst reduction, could be huge. This is another prime example of a ‘little thing going a long way’.

In 2020, Twitter added another pop-up alert which appears when users try to reshare articles in their Tweets without having first opened the link themselves before sharing. Three months after initial implementation, Twitter reported that around 40% of the users who were shown the alert were opening articles, while those viewing links before re-Tweeting increased by 33% respectively.

The Wrap

It’s a small push, but as you can see, the results were quite significant, despite implementation having taken an interim hiatus. As revealed, simply reminding users to reassess their Tweets before posting can have a major behavioral impact, leading to more wholesome online interactions. It’s a rather important find, especially how studies have revealed that the online space makes for good breeding grounds for potentially harmful behavior.

Twitter presently expands testing, bringing the option to Brazilian users. Hopefully, it goes further and one day becomes universally available for all users. That could see results double or even triple, greatly improving the user experience, potentially attracting more users.

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Sources 

https://bit.ly/34BLgSP