X is preparing to release alerts that will notify users about whether or not their account has been “shadowbanned.” Andrea Conway, a designer at X, offered a preview of the upcoming feature. The alert will be displayed in the notifications tab and will explain why X may limit the visibility of certain accounts. Users will have the ability to appeal X’s decision. The wording and user interface for the alert have not yet been finalized.
Previously, X introduced a labeling feature for individual tweets that violated the company’s rules. However, this new update will expand the restrictions to the account level, not just for specific tweets. This has been a contentious issue for X and Twitter for years. Under previous management, Twitter practiced “visibility filtering” without publicly sharing details about which accounts were limited, leading to conspiracy theories about “shadowbans.” Musk promised last year to provide a future update that would reveal users’ true account status and how to appeal if they have been shadowbanned.
While visibility filtering and shadowbanning are not exactly the same, this forthcoming update aims to add transparency to the practice. It remains unclear when the feature will be officially launched, but more information is expected to be shared soon. This development may spark further controversy surrounding account visibility on X and Twitter’s platforms.