Twitter lets users mute notifications from unknown accounts

Twitter in its latest step to curb abusive behavior on its platform, rolled out new features on Monday to help users disable notifications from accounts that they want to avoid.

The microblogging website said its "advanced filter settings" will now have options for users to mute notifications from accounts that they do not follow as well as from accounts that do not follow them.

Users can also filter lower-quality content from notifications such as content that appears to be automated and mute notifications related to certain words and phrases.

Twitter had said in March that it would introduce new filtering options for notifications to allow users to limit what they see from certain types of accounts, such as those that do not have a profile photo.

Twitter and rival Facebook have been facing a barrage of criticism for failing to tackle cyber-bullying, fake news and extremist propaganda on their platforms.