Twitter’s plan to let users hide their tweet replies will help spread disinformation

Twitter wants to let users hide the replies to their tweets. After two users spotted the feature, one of the senior product managers of the company confirmed it was true. They said Twitter is building this feature to protect conversations and ensure a healthy environment on the platform. However, many are seeing it as yet another form of censorship and suppressing discussion.

“We often hear from heavy Tweeters that they want to be able to protect their conversations...People who start interesting conversations on Twitter are really important to us, and we want to empower them to make the conversations they start as healthy as possible by giving them some control,” said Michelle Yashmeen Haq, Senior Product Manager at Twitter.

Initially, Jane Manchun Wong and Matt Navara tweeted about the option that lets users hide replies to their Tweets. Haq then publicly thanked them both for starting the conversation about this option through this tweet and explained the feature through a series of eight tweets:

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