Just realised the Twitter web client has rolled this option out - not available on TweetDeck as far as I can see. Wonder if it causes conflict with previously available setting to only allow replies from followers. I think this says something larger about the zeitgesit.

(Correction, the previous general setting was not to set who could actually reply to your tweets, but to set if you would see mentions from those you don't follow. Significantly different.)

I am not convinced that blocking non-followers or non-mentioned accounts from replying to a given tweet will help tackle bullying and harassment in a meaningful way. If anything it may intensify any negative emotions that trolls and bullies are motivated by.

The joy of Web 2.0 and then Twitter in the early days was the serendipitous discovery of like-minded, interesting, inspiring individuals. What we have today is an enhanced tribalisation via more tightly knitted bubbles.

The paradigm seems to be that the secret of peace and happiness lies in having more granularity in our options to exclude the unexpected or unknown. (Or equating the former with the unwanted, unhelpful, the toxic and unhealthy).

In a way it seems there is a parallel between the decay of the positive associations of social media virality and the pandemic, where social interaction without distancing is literally dangerous.

Cue in higher degrees of tribal behaviour and societal exclusion. I don't have a solution I'm afraid, I relate to the need to exclude toxic behaviour (hell yeah) but I also see how we tend to band-aid symptoms only, often contributing to making them worse. #mondaythoughts

I meant "Or equating the unexpected or unknown with the unwanted, unhelpful, the toxic and unhealthy". End of thread.