Twitter has officially announced the option for users to receive direct messages from accounts they don’t follow.
Since its inception Twitter’s DM tool has required both accounts to be following each other in order to exchange messages. No longer.
Users can now log into their account, browse to the security and privacy settings and enable the ‘Receive Direct Messages from Anyone’ setting.
Twitter has also updated its messaging rules to enable users to reply to anyone who sends them a DM, whether that person follows them or not.
On its official blog, Twitter wrote: “Communicating with people you may or may not know in real life just got easier. Previously, if you wanted to send a Direct Message to the ice cream shop down the street about how much you love their salted caramel flavor, you’d have to ask them to follow you first.
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The update also brings a change to profile pages within the Android and iPhone apps. If users can see a Direct Message button on the page, it means they’re able to send that account holder a direct message.
It has long been rumoured Twitter is thinking of overhauling its messages proposition in order to compete with the likes of Facebook, WhatsApp and Snapchat.
While this isn’t the revolution many are predicting, it’s certainly a start.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.