Twitter asks for birthdate from users to watch sensitive content

SAN FRANCISCO: With an aim to prevent minors from viewing inappropriate material, Twitter is asking users to verify their birthdates for viewing sensitive content.

According to TechCrunch, the micro-blogging site is gradually rolling out a feature to restrict sensitive tweets unless users have a birthdate attached to their accounts and are over 18.

"We are constantly iterating on our work to give people more choice and control over their experience, as well as to make Twitter safer for everyone," a company spokesperson was quoted as saying. "We are slowly rolling out a feature to aid in restricting certain sensitive content from people who are under 18 years old or have not submitted their date of birth."

Several users noted that the microblogging platform had asked them to mention their birthdates for seeing specific tweets over the past few days.

The platform did not clarify if it is rolling out the feature globally. Plus, users have raised questions about the company's privacy practices, as the prompt to enter the birthdate to access sensitive content says the data might be used for targeted ads.

The broad categories covered by Twitter's sensitive content policy include explicit content, graphic violence, excessive gore, and hateful images. Although the company doesn't prohibit explicit content, it does request that users who upload it designate it as sensitive and adjust their account settings accordingly. (IANS)

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