Twitter Now Lets You Remove Followers

Twitter Introduces Follower Removal Feature

Following a period of testing, Twitter is now extending a new functionality to all web users. This feature enables users to remove followers without resorting to blocking them.

This safety feature provides a means to manage your audience with greater control. It avoids the direct notification a blocked user receives when visiting your profile.

Avoiding the Repercussions of Blocking

Blocking someone on Twitter immediately informs them of the action. Removing a follower, however, offers a degree of discretion.

While the removed follower may eventually notice they are no longer following you, there's a possibility they might attribute it to an accidental unfollow.

From "Soft Block" Workaround to Official Feature

Previously, Twitter users employed a workaround known as a “soft block.” This involved briefly blocking and unblocking a follower to remove them from their list.

Now, Twitter is formalizing this practice by introducing it as a dedicated feature.

How to Remove Followers

Initially, the test version required manually scrolling through your follower list to locate and remove individuals.

However, the current implementation allows for follower removal directly from their profile page. Simply click the three-dot icon and select “Remove this follower.” This is particularly useful for users with a large following.

Testing a Chronological Timeline Option

In addition to follower removal, Twitter is also testing a feature that allows users to switch between algorithmic and chronological timelines.

Users can currently toggle between these views, but the test highlights growing attention towards content algorithms.

Content Algorithms and Potential Toxicity

Recent testimony from Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen suggested that chronological feeds could help mitigate the spread of harmful content.

Haugen argued that prioritizing content likely to elicit reactions, as Facebook’s algorithm does, can amplify toxicity and misinformation.

Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey has previously expressed support for user control over content organization algorithms.

A Period of Extensive Experimentation

Twitter has been actively testing and implementing numerous new features recently.

While not all tests result in permanent additions, they offer insight into the company’s evolving priorities.

Twitter has indicated a shift towards more frequent experimentation, with a willingness to discontinue features that prove ineffective.

Embracing Failure as Part of Innovation

Twitter Head of Consumer Product, Kayvon Beykpour, stated that the company will actively “wind things down” when features aren’t performing as expected.

Beykpour emphasized that a willingness to abandon unsuccessful projects is crucial for taking significant risks and driving innovation.

This approach was demonstrated with the discontinuation of Fleets, Twitter’s short-lived Stories feature.