Our Safety Work: Results Update

Our commitment to move faster to make Twitter safer started in January. First, we conducted research to understand the issues at a deeper level, then we made a range of product updates. We then convened our Trust and Safety Council to gather feedback and help guide us as we move forward.

While there is still much work to be done, people are experiencing significantly less abuse on Twitter today than they were six months ago. What follows is some new data on the progress we’ve made, what we’ve learned, and our plans to continue improving.

Increasing Action on Abusive Accounts

We promised to do more with our technology. We’re now taking action on 10x the number of abusive accounts every day compared to the same time last year. We also now limit account functionality or place suspensions on thousands more abusive accounts each day.

There are repeat offenders who create new accounts after being suspended for violations. Our new systems, in the last four months alone, have removed twice the number of these types of accounts. Beyond the technology, our teams are continuing to review content daily and improving how we enforce our policies.

Driving Change in Behavior

Communication about problematic Tweets, especially to the people who send them, is key. Accounts that demonstrate abusive behavior are now limited for a time, and told why. Accounts that we put into this period of limited functionality generate 25% fewer abuse reports, and approximately 65% of these accounts are in this state just once.

Providing Personalized Controls

We’ve introduced new ways to customize your experience, including notification filters and muting keywords. Our Quality Filter has led to fewer unwanted interactions: blocks after @mentions from people you don’t follow is down 40%. These numbers will vary, but the approach is having a positive impact.

We have consistent harassment definitions and policies that apply to everyone. However, people define abuse differently, so using these new tools, every person has control of what they see and experience on Twitter.

What Happens Next

More improvement, transparency, and speed. Online safety is an issue best solved in partnership with others, so we’ll continue to collaborate with our Trust & Safety Council, industry experts, and academics to solicit ongoing feedback. We are committed to making Twitter a safe place for free expression.