Twitter now allows Direct Messages from strangers

A lost functionality returns to Twitter, the ability to send direct messages to complete strangers, and the Internet ponders whether or not this is a good idea.

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The social network of the blue bird has revealed through a press release on their blog that they have a new idea for direct messages, explaining how they are going to work from now onwards. And, just like in 2013, everyone is going to be able to direct message everyone: a functionality that lasted only for a month, until the company decided to remove it.

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This time around it will be different, though. Users will be able to specify in their configuration menu whether or not they want to allow strangers to message them – a functionality that can be activated or deactivated at will.  Furthermore, it will remain inactive by default, and users have to purposefully go out of their way to enable it if they consider this is a good idea.

This “new” function will basically turn Twitter into an instant messaging service, so we wonder if they intend to take Facebook’s WhatsApp head-on, or if this is just an “innocent” service , aimed to give the fans and users a few more liberties in the world of Twitter.

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