Twitter rolls out three new features in order to limit the amount of abuse on its network, including stopping trolls from creating accounts.

Twitter has announced via a blog post that it will be creating three new features designed specifically to limit the amount of abuse on its network. This includes stopping trolls from easily creating an account.

The Announcement

Twitter’s vice-president Ed Ho announced via a blog post that it is their “primary focus” to make Twitter a safer place.

The new tools reportedly aim to stop the creation of abusive troll accounts, create “safer” search results, and keep abusive tweets (or “low-quality tweets”) further down your twitter feed.

The New Features

Last year, Twitter introduced the “troll-filter”, which allowed users to “filter lower-quality content, like duplicate Tweets or content that appears to be automated.”

This time, it aims to add to that by initially presenting the tweets that are most relevant, and abusive tweets only available if the users seek them out.

The new “Safe Search” option removes tweets that contain sensitive content from accounts that are blocked or muted. Those would also only be visible if the user seeks them out.

Lastly, Twitter is looking to identify people who were permanently suspended from the network, in order to prevent them from reappearing again via a new account. “This focuses more effectively on some of the most prevalent and damaging forms of behavior, particularly accounts that are created only to abuse and harass others,” said Ho. He also promised that more updates will be created within the coming weeks.

Why All These Changes?

These changes are all coming about as social media companies receive increasing pressure from the UK government to work on stopping online harassment.

A legislation under a new bill called the “Malicious Communications (Social Media) bill may soon be enforcing social media companies to form a register regulated by Ofcom. (BNO)