Twitter (TWTR) Rolls Out New Feature To Filter Tweets

Last week, Twitter Inc. (NYSE:TWTR) unveiled new features for all its users, enabling them to limit notifications as well as filter tweets to make their experience better.

In a blog post, the micro blogging site said, “We’re introducing some new features that will give you more control over what you see and who you interact with on Twitter. Everyone will have the ability to limit notifications to only people they follow on mobile and on twitter.com. Simply turn it on if you want to give it a go.”

Further, Twitterverse can get rid of “lower-quality content, like duplicate Tweets or content that appears to be automated,” by turning on the quality filter. Quality filter, launched last year, was so far available only to Twitter verified users, who form a small section of its 313 million user base.

However, the blog post added that the quality filter won’t help to tackle objectionable tweets from people that users follow as well as the other users they have interacted with recently. Also, the company refrained from specifying these measures as tools to combat trolling on its platform, prompting some analysts to call the measures as somewhat vague. They point out that when the company launched the quality filter last year, it had specified the purpose as removal of threat/abuse.

Trolling has been a menace for this social media service. Twitter users, especially women, people from the racial minorities as well the LGBT community are often the target of ridicule on the platform. A few days back, African American actress and the star of the latest Ghostbusters movie, Leslie Jones, was brutally trolled on Twitter. However, Twitter took swift action after Jones’ complaint and banned several users for lifetime. Amid the fracas, Twitter launched a new application process whereby more users can now get a verified account. Verified accounts have a blue badge and enable users to differentiate them from the ones that aren’t authentic.

A few days back, in one of the biggest crackdowns, Twitter announced that it has suspended over 235,000 accounts belonging to extremists in the last six months.

At present, Twitter carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Stocks worth considering in the tech space include Facebook Inc (NASDAQ:FB) , Quotient Technology Inc. (NYSE:QUOT) and MeetMe, Inc. (NASDAQ:MEET) . While Facebook sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), Quotient Technology and MeetMe carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).