News > Social Media Twitter Testing New 'Heads Up' Warning Feature The feature informs users of "heated" conversations By Cesar Cadenas Cesar Cadenas Twitter Writer California State University - Long Beach Cesar Cadenas has been writing about the tech industry since 2016 on a variety of topics like cryptocurrency, video games, the latest gadgets, and much more. lifewire's editorial guidelines Published on October 7, 2021 12:50PM EDT Fact checked by Rich Scherr Fact checked by Rich Scherr Twitter University of Maryland Baltimore County Rich Scherr is a seasoned technology and financial journalist who spent nearly two decades as the editor of Potomac and Bay Area Tech Wire. lifewire's fact checking process Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Social Media Mobile Phones Internet & Security Computers & Tablets Smart Life Home Theater & Entertainment Software & Apps Social Media Streaming Gaming Twitter is testing some new prompts on its iOS and Android apps that warn users of heated conversations happening on the platform. The new feature, called "Heads Up," is the company’s latest attempt to curb harassment and abuse on Twitter. The official Twitter Support account shows off the two different prompts; one is a simple notification stating the conservation is intense and the other encourages empathy and fact-checking. Hello World/Getty Images The second prompt has three rules reminding people there’s a human on the other side, that facts are important to a conversation, and to be mindful of different perspectives. When asked which metrics are being used to judge what’s considered an "intense" conversation, Twitter Support responded by stating the platform has a set of criteria to determine which threads require such a warning, but didn't elaborate further. The platform also will take into consideration the topic of discussion and the relationship between the thread author and other users. Twitter Support goes on to say that this feature is still a "work in progress." Heads Up is the latest in a line of features Twitter has enacted to empower its users. Prior to this, the platform implemented Birdwatch earlier this year and Safety Mode this past September. Birdwatch is a community-drive effort to combat misinformation on Twitter, but critics have referred to it as a form of censorship. Safety Mode, meanwhile, is a new account setting that blocks accounts using "potentially harmful language." Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Email Address Sign up There was an error. Please try again. You're in! Thanks for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. Thank you for signing up! Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit