Just as Safer Internet Day has grown from being a European event in 2004 to being celebrated globally 17 years later, Twitter has also become a global service. This year, safety partners from over 140 countries mark #SaferInternetDay2021 to contribute to creating a safer internet for all.
The theme for Safer Internet Day 2021 is Together for a better internet. It speaks to a set of beliefs Twitter shares as an online service: that the internet can always be better, that it remains a force for good, and that it’s all of our jobs to make it safe and healthy. We all contribute; we all have our part to play.
The safety of Twitter and the health of the public conversation is of the highest priority. In the last year, the platform has made substantial strides in tackling abusive content on our service globally.
Whether you’ve been on Twitter for a long time or are new to the service, it can’t hurt to pick up tips to have a better experience on Twitter.
Here are 5 steps to enjoy a safer Twitter experience:
1. Activate two-factor authentication
For the most secure experience on Twitter, turn on Login Verification and Password Reset Verifications. After you enable this feature, you will need your password, along with a secondary login method — either a code, a login confirmation via an app or a physical security key to log in to your account. This can be enabled in the Security section of your account settings.
2. Protect your Tweets
We’re all for self-expression, but there are just some Tweets we don’t want certain people to see. By default, all of your Tweets are public, but you can choose to protect your Tweets in settings. Be mindful of sharing personal information such as details about your home or family. If you’re Tweeting pictures with children, consider putting an emoji over their faces.
3. Advanced filter setting
You can control what you see and who you interact with on Twitter. Advanced filter settings allow you to disable notifications from certain types of accounts that you’d like to avoid. If your account receives a lot of sudden attention, Twitter may insert a notification in your Notifications tab inviting you to adjust these filters to give you more control over what you see.
4. Location sharing
Twitter lets you select whether to include your location on individual Tweets as well as your profile. Think before you post information that could reveal your location. Information that could identify your home, office address, or where your children go to school should be avoided. More Twitter safety information can be found here.
5. How to report content
It can be distressing to receive unsolicited Tweets that are unkind or abusive — report it to Twitter (you can report Tweets, accounts, Lists, and Direct Messages). That way, you are also doing a favor for the Twitter community at large.
Twitter encourages conversations with a special emoji for the hashtags #SaferInternetDay and #SID2021, available in eighteen languages to encourage conversations around a safer internet.
Throughout 2021, Twitter says it will continue to support its safety partners and work to ensure that the platform’s public conversation is healthy, open, and safer.