Twitter’s new Unmentioning tool is perfect for avoiding online drama

By Cristina Alexander July 11, 2022

Getting mentioned by one of your followers on Twitter can feel like a badge of honor. Sometimes, however, you may get mentioned by someone in a conversation you never asked to be a part of in the first place. Twitter now provides a solution to that problem with its new “Unmentioning” feature.

As the name suggests, Unmentioning allows users to remove themselves from a Tweet or thread that includes their username. Twitter began testing the new feature on a select few users in April, but now it’s rolling to everyone on the platform — provided they updated the Twitter app on their phone.

Sometimes you want to see yourself out.

Take control of your mentions and leave a conversation with Unmentioning, now rolling out to everyone on all devices. pic.twitter.com/Be8BlotElX

— Twitter Safety (@TwitterSafety) July 11, 2022

Unmentioning works exactly the way it sounds. Simply pick a Tweet you’ve been tagged in where the thread starts, tap on the Actions menu (the three dots on the top right corner of the Tweet) and select Leave this conversation to untag yourself.

Following these steps will do more than save you the endless notifications pings on your phone. After you remove yourself from the conversation, your username link will be hidden for added safety and security, and people won’t be able to tag you in the same thread again.

Unmentioning may be a useful feature if you find yourself caught up in Twitter drama between friends, or if you’re being cyberbullied by a random stranger for who you are or the job you do. It might also be helpful if you’re part of a marginalized group at risk of internet harassment.

Speaking of Twitter drama, the Unmentioning feature comes on the heels of Elon Musk (attempting) to terminate his deal to buy Twitter for $44 billion. Musk alleges that the company failed to provide accurate information on the number of fake accounts on the platform. The surprise cancellation prompted Twitter to threaten a lawsuit against the Tesla CEO.

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Cristina Alexander

Gaming/Mobile Writer

Cristina Alexander has been writing since 2014, from opining about pop culture on her personal blog in college to reporting…

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