Twitter Will Soon Let You Control Who Can Reply to Your Tweets and Some People Already Aren't Happy

Twitter announced a new feature Wednesday that will allow users to limit who replies to their tweets, and some users were already upset by the change.

The Verge reported that the "conversation participants" feature will have four settings: "Global, Group, Panel, and Statement." Global allows anyone to reply. Group lets people you follow and mention in the tweet reply. Panel only allows people you mention to reply. Statement prevents anyone from replying.

Twitter director of product management Suzanne Xie stated that unhealthy replies were part of the thought process behind the feature. "Getting ratio'd, getting dunked on, the dynamics that happen that we think aren't as healthy are definitely part of ... our thinking about this," she told The Verge.

Twitter did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment by Newsweek.

While Twitter may have good intentions behind the new feature, people used the platform to criticize the idea. Many quickly pointed out that the feature could easily allow people to spread disinformation.

"This seems like a good way to have bad actors spread disinformation freely without allowing folks to present actual facts in replies," Polygon engagement editor Jeff Ramos wrote.

"I see this killing most free form discussion, and will allow even more people to stay in their own preferred echo chambers," Roundtable of Extreme Liberty co-host Krystle Baker wrote.

Xie pointed out to The Verge that people can still quote tweets to combat false information, and the company would be "watching really closely" as they test the feature.

Another user offered that verified accounts should not be allowed to limit their replies.

Others criticized the feature as antithetical to everything that Twitter represents. "Twitter's power came from effectively eliminating class/influence," Vs Media podcast host Stephen Miller wrote.

Bloody Elbow associate editor Zane Simon also called the change "interesting," because so many people use Twitter for conversation.

Some did see some positives to the feature. "Twitter finally taking on the swarms," Democratic strategist Tom Watson tweeted.

Karissa Bell, a senior tech reporter at Mashable, noted this could help people who feel "hijacked by trolls/swarms." She did also note in another tweet that she could see people getting annoyed by brands limiting replies and killing the ability to ratio, which is when a tweet's replies greatly outnumber likes or retweets.

Despite the backlash, a few people were excited about the new statements feature, in particular. "Bro Im about to have some fire STATEMENTS on here," SB Nation producer Kofie Yeboah wrote.

"this is cool because now when no one responds to my tweets I'll just act like I put it in statement mode," another user wrote.