Twitter has recently intensified its efforts to combat spam on its platform. Initially, the focus was on addressing general spam in user feeds by giving priority to Twitter Blue users in content rankings.
Now, Twitter is shifting its attention to the misuse of direct messages (DMs) and is implementing a series of measures to limit the ways messages can be used for mass sending, which inundates users’ inboxes with unwanted junk that needs to be cleared out.
One of the key measures being tested is restricting DM sending, with Twitter Blue users set to be the only ones allowed to send DM requests to users who do not follow them. While this move significantly curbs the ability to engage in DM spam, it also affects businesses that rely on Twitter for customer service and others who use DMs to connect with potential contacts or collaborators.
However, there is a way around these restrictions by subscribing to Twitter Blue for $8 per month, which Twitter positions as a form of user verification to combat spammers. With more verified users, the impact of the restriction is diminished, enabling increased engagement via DMs. Elon Musk, the CEO of Twitter, has stated that this new element will likely be rolled out sometime in the current week.
Additionally, Twitter is considering imposing limits on the number of DMs non-subscribers can send per day. For instance, there could be a cap on the number of DMs a user can send, such as 500 per day, as seen in an example shared by app researcher Alessandro Paluzzi. However, this daily limit may vary once the restriction is officially implemented.
Collectively, these measures will have a significant impact on DM spammers. Nevertheless, spammers can also opt to pay the $8 per month to continue their mass messaging activities. However, this poses a risk as they may be reported and lose their verification status, or Twitter profits from their payments either way. Hence, it becomes a less desirable option for both spammers and Twitter.
Nonetheless, these measures should effectively reduce DM spam, which not only improves the overall messaging experience on Twitter but also encourages more users to sign up for Twitter Blue. This creates a win-win situation for Twitter, as it addresses spam and bot issues while potentially increasing Twitter Blue subscriptions.
It should be noted that these measures may have unintended consequences depending on how users utilize DMs. Nevertheless, Twitter’s response is to steer users towards Twitter Blue, which Elon Musk believes is the best solution for tackling spam and bot-related challenges on the platform. While it may not be the ultimate solution, an increase in Twitter Blue subscriptions has the potential to address several of Twitter’s challenges simultaneously.
