X is gearing up to roll out a much-anticipated notification system that will keep users informed about their account status, provided by a designer at X.
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This photo illustration shows the X logo (formerly Twitter) on a smartphone screen in Los Angeles, California, on July 31, 2023. San Francisco sent the company formerly known as Twitter a warning on July 31, 2023, that it needed proper permits for the giant, flashing new X sign atop its headquarters, after the tech firm twice refused to let building inspectors check it.
Rolling Out Alerts for Potential Shadowbanning
X is on the verge of launching its long-awaited notification system, designed to inform users about the status of their accounts. This includes notification whether they have been subject to "shadowbanning."
The first glimpse of this upcoming feature comes courtesy of Andrea Conway, a designer at X, shedding light on a promise initially made by Elon Musk in the previous year.
Conway presented a sneak peek of what's in the pipeline: two design concepts. One showcases an alert integrated into the notifications section, while the other offers an informational page elucidating the rationale behind potential visibility restrictions applied to specific accounts.
This message provides an explanation, "We have found that your account potentially contains sensitive media - such as graphic, violent, nudity, sexual behavior, hateful symbols, or other sensitive content."
Beneath this message, there's a button for users to appeal the decision and ask X to reconsider. Additionally, Conway mentioned that users might have the option to check their account status outside of the app's notifications section.
She also noted that the exact wording and user interface for these alerts are still in the process of being finalized, but she didn't provide details on the specifics of this feature.
Twitter's Efforts
While X had previously implemented a labeling system for individual tweets flagged as "visibility limited" due to rule violations, its latest update extends these restrictions beyond specific tweets to apply at the account level.
Engadget reported that this development addresses a contentious and longstanding concern within the realm of Twitter, and now X.
Historically, both platforms have curtailed the outreach of accounts that contravene their rules, a practice once dubbed "visibility filtering" under Twitter's prior leadership.
However, the company refrained from disclosing comprehensive information about this practice, including which accounts were affected, thereby giving rise to conjectures and suspicions surrounding the concept of "shadowbans."
Shadowbanning has been a persistent issue dating back to the early days of Twitter, where users were often unaware that their tweets had been subjected to this covert form of penalty.
While users could continue posting as usual, they would notice a significant drop in the visibility and engagement of their tweets.
This issue frequently became a subject of political debate, with figures like Trump and other Republicans alleging that Twitter was deliberately rendering their tweets invisible.
Also Read: Engagement with Foreign Propaganda Surges on X After Elon Musk's Policy Change: Report
Elon Musk, the owner of X, has pledged to tackle the issue of "shadowbanning" on the social platform, which involves implementing changes that restrict a user's content from being widely circulated and viewed without outright banning them.
In responses to X users, TechCrunch reported that Musk expressed regret for the delay in addressing this concern and outlined the reasons behind the delay in providing users with the necessary information.
Related Article: Elon Musk-Owned X to Discontinue Circles Feature Launched Under Twitter Years
