Twitter starts beta test for autoblocking safety mode

Twitter is significantly expanding the beta version of its Safety Mode feature, the company announced Tuesday. Safety Mode, which was initially rolled out in September, allows you to block accounts that send you harmful or abusive tweets automatically.

Safety Mode was previously available to about 750 beta users, but will expand to 50 percent of people in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, Ireland, and New Zealand, says Twitter spokeswoman Tatiana Britt to TheVerge.

Twitter is also introducing proactive Safety Mode prompts. "Since the initial rollout of the Safety Mode beta in September, we've learned that some people want help identifying unwelcome interactions," Britt said. "For this reason, our technology will now proactively identify potentially harmful or uninvited replies and prompt people in the beta to consider enabling Safety Mode. This update further reduces the burden on people dealing with unwelcome interactions."

While it's not yet clear when this feature will roll out more widely, for those who have access to it, Safety Mode looks like a potentially helpful way to help reduce bullying on the platform. However, while Twitter may be taking a step forward here, it's also arguably taking a step back with its testing of a feature that allows you to send a DM directly from a tweet, which could make it easier for stalkers to send unintended DMs requested.