Twitter is trying to fix the verified DM spam problem it created

Twitter has gotten worse in a number of ways since Elon Musk introduced paid verification. But one of the most consistently annoying has been the sharp uptick in DM spam. Now, Twitter says it's making a change to cut down on the amount of spammy messages in users' inboxes.

The company is adding a new setting that will route messages from verified accounts you're not following to the message requests" inbox, rather than the primary inbox. The new setting will be automatically enabled for anyone who previously had their DMs open to everyone, though they'll be able to switch back at any time," according to Twitter.

That's a notable reversal from a change Musk recently endorsed that allowed paid Twitter Blue subscribers to direct message any user regardless of following status. But while Musk suggested the change would cut down on AI bots," it resulted in more DM spam.

Starting as soon as July 14th, we're adding a new messages setting that should help reduce the number of spam messages in DMs. With the new setting enabled, messages from users who you follow will arrive in your primary inbox, and messages from verified users who you don't follow...

- Twitter Support (@TwitterSupport) July 13, 2023

In a post announcing the latest change, Twitter's support account seemed to acknowledge the prevalence of spammy DMs from verified accounts. We're adding a new messages setting that should help reduce the number of spam messages in DMs," it wrote.

The updated setting is expected to start rolling out July 14th.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/twitter-is-trying-to-fix-the-verified-dm-spam-problem-it-created-175252276.html?src=rss