Social platforms like Twitter redefined open access to information, connecting billions. But unchecked visibility came with consequences – compromising personal privacy. For those seeking discretion online, Twitter finally enabled "protected" accounts.
By following seven simple steps, you can hide your profile, posts, media, and engagement from the public eye. We‘ll explore the nuances of locking down privacy across Twitter‘s desktop and mobile applications. Read on to command greater control.
The Steadily Eroding State of Social Media Privacy
First, let‘s briefly rewind through pivotal points in Twitter‘s transparency journey that led users here – seeking shelter from prying eyes behind privacy walls.
Twitter launched in 2006 as an unsigned proto-app billed originally as an SMS service. With no concept of accounts, every user‘s posts floated together in a public stream viewed chronologically.
The open messaging board suited Twitter‘s early tech savvy users. But as membership swelled beyond 160 million active users by 2012, attacks and abusive behavior triggered clamoring for safer spaces.
Twitter responded by erecting account protections – finally allowing users to restrict tweet visibility. Adoption soared as members flocked to hide from harassment.
Yet enhanced controls couldn‘t stem eruptions of toxic behavior into the 2010s. Victims continued advocating for relief by taking their case public, like actress Kelly Marie Tran:
Chastened by outraged users, Twitter repeatedly updated policies and protections throughout the 2010s like quality filters, muting, warnings, and bans.
But for many, the only refuge was to wall themselves off using private accounts. Let‘s examine how seeking shelter works.
Weighing the Tradeoffs of a Private Account
Before charging ahead, consider who stands to gain or lose when you hide tweets from search and public view:
Good for:
- Personal friends & family connections
- Avoiding harassment/unwanted attention
- Controlling how co-workers or employers see you
Bad for:
- Brand building, promoters, or public figures
- Discovering new friends and followers
- Contributing to public discourse
Generally, keeping accounts open fosters networking and self-expression. But private settings shield individuals from abuse.
Now let‘s walk through settings across platforms so you can make the right choice for your needs and comfort.
Step-by-Step Guide to Make Twitter Account Private
Ready to convert your Twitter into members-only space? Either using the Twitter website or mobile app, we‘ll breeze through adjusting visbility settings in just a few clicks.
But first, let‘s meet our privacy pilgrim Laiyla seeking some quiet time alone with inner thoughts…
Laiyla‘s Motivations
A mathematician by training, Laiyla joined Twitter hoping for fun math facts and stimulating discussions. Instead she encountered mansplaining trolls disputing her theorems at every turn with snarky memes.
The toxicity became too much. She reporting the worst offenders but mobs harangued her for speaking against them. Now Laiyla simply wants space for her real-world friends to connect away from stranger‘s attacks.
She decides to finally stop the madness by going private. Let‘s help Laiyla sanity check her security!
Method 1: Desktop Web Browser
If you‘re sipping coffee leisurely browsing Twitter from your laptop, here are the specific steps to make your account private:
- Log into Twitter and click your profile icon to access the menu
- Choose "Settings and privacy" option at the very bottom
- Select "Privacy and safety" from menu on left side
- Click into "Audience and tagging" to find visibility controls
- Check box for "Protect your Tweets", then click Save changes!
Let‘s see the settings in action:
Method 2: Mobile App
If you natively live inside the Twitter app itself on iOS or Android, operate privacy settings with these taps:
- Tap profile icon in upper left corner to open your menu
- Choose "Settings and privacy" option partway down
- Select "Privacy and safety" from subsequent menu
- Tap into "Audience and tagging" to access visibility settings
- Slide the switch for "Protect your Tweets" into the green ON position!
For convenience, here‘s a preview of navigating the mobile controls:
Hiding all content from strangers with just basic toggles. Simple enough right? Now Laiyla can relax!
Or can she? Let‘s lock things down even tighter…
beyond Private Tweets: Restricting Tags and Messages
Laiyla breathes a sigh of relief having successfully activated protected tweets. But a thought occurs – even with private content, couldn‘t abusers still interact by tagging or messaging her?
You‘re absolutely right Laiyla! Let‘s check a few more settings…
Disable Photo Tags
Even if tweets are now hidden, anyone could still tag Laiyla in images potentially exposing her to unwanted attention.
We simply uncheck "Photo tagging" via Audience and Tagging. Poof, no more unwelcome cameos!
Block Message Requests
Finally, what if trolls try sliding into her private messages? Under Direct Messages settings, Laiyla disables open messaging.
Now ONLY confirmed friends can reach out privately. Fortress complete!
Private Account Pitfalls to Avoid
While visbility settings provide shelter from the Twitter storm, a few final privacy precautions apply:
Carefully Approve Followers – Restrict access to approved contacts only, ignoring requests from vague accounts.
Revoke Third-Party Apps – Disconnect any external services that could publicly expose your data.
Self-Censor Posts – Anything shared could theoretically still be screenshotted then leaked publicly.
Ultimately information wants to be free. So even with private profiles, tweets enter the public record the moment they get captured and redistributed externally.
We face challenging questions around privacy as rising connectivity collides with free speech. But hopefully these steps to walling off your tweets empower individuals to find the right balance.
Let me know if you have any other questions in the comments!
