Twitter DM Updates: New Improvements to Direct Messages

Twitter Enhances Direct Messaging Experience

Have you inadvertently created a group chat on Twitter while attempting to share a tweet privately with a limited number of contacts? This is a common occurrence. Twitter has recently announced a series of enhancements to its direct messaging (DM) system, scheduled for deployment over the coming weeks.

New Feature: Direct Messaging to Multiple Users

These improvements include the capability to send a single tweet via DM to several individuals simultaneously, within separate, individual conversations. The functionality was initially observed by researcher Jane Manchun Wong last month, signaling Twitter’s development efforts.

Potential for Increased Spam

A possible drawback of this update is the potential for increased unsolicited messages. While a limit of 20 recipients per message is in place, this still represents a substantial number of users. Receivers of these messages may initially perceive them as private, one-on-one communications, potentially masking group spam activity.

Platform Availability and Quick-Scroll Feature

Access to this new feature will be staggered, with Android users experiencing a delay compared to iOS and web platform users. The duration of this delay remains uncertain, as past updates have taken years to reach Android from iOS. However, as a benefit for both Android and iOS users, a quick-scroll feature has been added. By pressing a down arrow while in a DM conversation, users can swiftly return to the most recent message.

iOS-Exclusive DM Improvements

Two additional DM enhancements are currently exclusive to iOS. Instead of displaying timestamps for each individual message, messages will now be organized into daily groupings. While individual messages will retain timestamps, this change aims to reduce visual clutter.

Enhanced Reaction Options on iOS

Furthermore, iOS users can now access the reaction menu in DMs by either double-tapping or long-pressing a message. Long-pressing a message also provides options to delete the message locally, report it, or copy its text.

Additional Updates: Revue Integration and UI Changes

Alongside the DM improvements, Twitter is also testing the integration of users’ Revue newsletters directly onto their profiles, following its acquisition of the newsletter platform earlier this year.

However, recent UI updates have drawn criticism from some experts, who suggest they may reduce platform accessibility. Within 48 hours of the initial rollout, Twitter addressed contrast issues on buttons and identified problems with its Chirp font on Windows operating systems.