Social media is now essentially part of modern life. You miss out a lot if you don’t have at least one account.
Plenty of social media platforms exist. Some of them are Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. It’s up to you to choose which network you want to be on. Of course, they all want you to choose them.
But how can tech companies make you spend most of your free time on their platforms without begging? It’s simple. They need to keep you entertained.
That said, social media companies are improving their algorithms for content recommendation. It ensures you’ll see what you want every time you are scrolling through your feed.
Twitter is on this train. The micro-blogging platform is working to make discovering conversations and topics that interest you the most easier. It does that through Recommendations.
Perhaps you’ve seen them without realizing it. You probably saw a tweet that you enjoyed. Interestingly, it’s not from anyone you follow, yet it showed up in your feed. Those are personalized suggestions Twitter chose based on your previous actions on the platform. This allows users to get more organic Twitter followers from their own interests and social circles.
You can take advantage of Recommendations to quickly find tweets you’ll like. And to do that, you need to know how Twitter chooses what to put on your feed.
The Top 20 Awesome Facts About Twitter’s Content Moderation System
- Twitter’s content moderation system aims to keep the platform safe and welcoming for all users.
- The system uses a combination of technology and human review to identify and remove harmful or offensive content.
- Twitter’s content moderation policies are designed to be transparent and clear so that users know what is and isn’t allowed on the platform.
- The system is constantly evolving and adapting to new challenges and threats, such as misinformation and hate speech.
- Twitter’s content moderation team includes trained specialists who are experienced in identifying and dealing with problematic content.
- The system is designed to be fair and impartial and to apply the same standards to all users regardless of their background or beliefs.
- Twitter’s content moderation policies are based on respect for free expression and the open exchange of ideas.
- The system is designed to strike a balance between allowing users to speak freely and protecting the safety and well-being of all users on the platform.
- Twitter’s content moderation team works closely with other organizations, such as law enforcement and civil society groups, to identify and address emerging threats and challenges.
- The ultimate goal of Twitter’s content moderation system is to create a safe, inclusive, and respectful environment for all users on the platform.
- Twitter’s content moderation system is designed to be efficient and effective, allowing the platform to respond to reports of problematic content quickly.
- The system uses various tools and techniques, such as machine learning and artificial intelligence, to identify and remove harmful content.
- Twitter’s content moderation team follows strict guidelines and procedures to ensure that all decisions are fair and consistent.
- The system is regularly reviewed and updated to ensure that it continues to meet the changing needs and expectations of users on the platform.
- Twitter’s content moderation policies are designed to be transparent and accessible, with clear explanations of what is and isn’t allowed on the platform.
- The system is designed to be responsive and flexible, allowing Twitter to adapt to new challenges and threats as they arise quickly.
- Twitter’s content moderation team is committed to working with users and other stakeholders to improve the system and make it more effective.
- The system is designed to be accountable and transparent, with regular reporting and review to ensure it meets its objectives.
- Twitter’s content moderation policies are designed to protect the rights and interests of all users, including marginalized and vulnerable communities.
- The system is designed to be proactive and preventative, focusing on identifying and addressing potential problems before they escalate.
Here’s a guide on what type of content Twitter recommends. You will also find where Recommendations appear and how to control them.
How Twitter Recommends Content and Where to Find it
As stated above, Twitter recommends content based on the actions you take on the platform. Twitter calls them “signals.”
What are the signals, specifically? They include the interests you told Twitter about. Furthermore, signals include tweets you engage with and Topics you follow. Tweets liked by people you follow or by your followers are also signals.
Twitter analyzes those signals and uses them to find content it thinks you might be interested in.
Where do Recommendations appear? Twitter says they “show in your Home timeline, certain places within the Explore tab, and elsewhere on Twitter.”
Your Safety and Health are the Priority
Again, Twitter can pull Recommendations based on what the people on your network like. Also, they don’t come from people and accounts you follow. Therefore, there’s a risk. You may see content that may make you feel unsafe.
Luckily, Twitter had thought of that and prevented it before it happened. The platform’s Recommendation team partners with its Health, Trust & Safety, and Machine Learning Ethics teams. That ensures they are surfacing high-quality, relevant, healthy, and authentic content.
Control
Ensuring the quality of the Recommendations is not enough for Twitter. It wants to perfect them as much as possible. So, the company released tools that allow you to let them know if they’re doing it right or not.
Suppose you see a recommended tweet. Liking it or retweeting it signals that you find the content interesting. So, Twitter will surface similar content. But how to let Twitter know you don’t like that type of content? You can open the tweet menu and select “Not interested in this Tweet/Topic.”
Additionally, Twitter launched two view modes in your Home timeline o give you more control over what you see. Click the sparkle icon at the top right corner of the screen. Then, select between “For You” and “Latest.”
If you choose the former, Twitter will show you Recommendations from accounts and Topics you don’t follow. On the other hand, if you choose “Latest,” Twitter will only surface tweets from the accounts you follow. You can consider this a toggle-off button for Recommendations.
Making Recommendations Even Better
Twitter says that finding the content you like should be effortless. So, it is investing in improving the quality of recommendations across Twitter. Furthermore, it continues to explore ways to make Recommendations easier to understand and control.
The new features include an “X” button on tweets. It aims to streamline how you send feedback to Twitter. Instead of opening the tweet menu and selecting “Not interested in this Tweet/Topic,” you can just click this method. Yes, this button removes the tweet from your Home timeline.
Twitter is also testing new ways to make it easier for you to determine which mode your Home timeline is on. A tweet from Twitter Support said that when people switch from the Latest to For You tabs, they would see updated icons and menus. It’s only available on iOS as of this writing.
That’s not all. New users on Twitter don’t have previous actions on the platform Twitter can use as signals. So, it is experimenting with new ways for people new to the service to tell them what their interests are.
Why it Matters
There’s one problem with social media being almost a must-have. You can’t control other users’ behavior. People would always be on their best behavior in the perfect world. Unfortunately, we don’t live in such a world. So, social media can sometimes be toxic.
You can also see posts about propaganda, politics, and other topics that may affect your mood and mental health. Without a doubt, you don’t want these to appear on your feed.
Twitter and other social media platforms must be careful not to surface content that negatively affects your experience. At the same time, they want to recommend content that will enrich your experience. So, they must find the perfect spot.
If they can succeed, then it’s an “everybody wins” situation. You get to see more tweets and Topics that interest you without using the Twitter search bar. You will then be less likely to leave Twitter because you are satisfied with the experience. And that’s what the company wants.
Following/Unfollowing Topics and Users
Revisiting your following list every once in a while is the best way to control what you see on Twitter. Check if there are people whose posts have become toxic. It is best to unfollow those users. Do the same for Topics that no longer pique your interest. By doing so, you are giving positive tweets more space on your Home timeline.