Unlike a number of other platforms, nudity, violence and other sensitive contents are welcome on Twitter.
Among others, this makes Twitter a place where almost anything can be shared with very litter boundaries. This makes Twitter both toxic, and extremely popular among its diverse users.
But since not everyone wants to see nudity, violence or other sensitive contents, Twitter has the one-time content warning feature.
Twitter introduced this feature back in 2021 to a number of users.
The feature added a flag icon in the image editing interface.
Users could access it by tapping on the three dots icon that appears at the bottom right of a photo when they want to add one to a tweet.
People use Twitter to discuss what’s happening in the world, which sometimes means sharing unsettling or sensitive content. We’re testing an option for some of you to add one-time warnings to photos and videos you Tweet out, to help those who might want the warning. pic.twitter.com/LCUA5QCoOV
— Twitter Safety (@TwitterSafety) December 7, 2021
This time, Twitter is unleashing this feature to all users using its Android and iOS apps, as well as its web interface.
When using this feature, the applied warning made to an individual tweet will make its attached media look obscured to people viewing it until they opt to view what's behind it.
The feature should give users a way to share content that may be upsetting or not appropriate for everyone, by protecting their followers from accidentally exposing themselves to content that might be upsetting or otherwise difficult to watch.
This way, they can share those things without having to mark all the tweets as sensitive.
"The tweet author flagged this tweet as showing sensitive content," said the warning Twitter appends to an image when users tell the app that they're sharing something sensitive.
While Twitter allows users to share just about anything, there are limits to what users could share.
"People use Twitter to show what’s happening in the world, often sharing images and videos as part of the conversation. Sometimes, this media can depict sensitive topics, including violent and adult content. We recognize that some people may not want to be exposed to sensitive content, which is why we balance allowing people to share this type of media with helping people who want to avoid it to do so," Twitter said in a dedicated Help page.
The option to add one-time sensitive content warnings to photos and videos you Tweet is now available for everyone across Android, iOS, and web.
To add a content warning, tap the flag icon when editing the photo/video after you've attached it to your Tweet.— Twitter Support (@TwitterSupport) February 25, 2022
For example, users are allowed to share media that depicts death and violence in graphic detail, post adult content that include full or partial nudity, "including close-ups of genitals, buttocks, or breasts," as well as "simulated sexual acts; and sexual intercourse or other sexual acts"
Users can also share hateful imagery if it has the intention to promote hostility against people on the basis of race, religious affiliation, disability, sexual orientation, gender/gender identity or ethnicity/national origin.
"You can share graphic violence and consensually produced adult content within your Tweets, provided that you mark this media as sensitive. We may also allow limited sharing of hateful imagery, provided that it is not used to promote a terrorist or violent extremist group, that you mark this content as sensitive and don’t target it at an individual," Twitter said.
The limitations include users are not allowed to purposefully target people with the content Twitter considers sensitive.
Twitter also prohibits violent sexual conduct to "prevent the normalization of sexual assault and non-consensual violence associated with sexual acts."