Twitter has no restrictions against users posting porn, as long as it’s marked as ‘sensitive’ content on the site.
That makes it a haven for inappropriate content that many don’t want their children to accidentally or intentionally see.
I wanted to know how to block porn on Twitter so that my family could use their accounts freely.
Here are the three best methods I found:
- Best Method Overall: Canopy (a Parental Control App and Porn Blocker)
- Method 2: Twitter’s Privacy Settings
- Method 3: Browser Extensions
Read on for step-by-step instructions and details to apply one of these methods to your own Twitter account.
Why Parents are Worried About Porn on Twitter
Unlike most other social media platforms, Twitter has an open policy for porn.
Because of this, pornstars and porn websites use Twitter as a marketing tool. Their aim is to gain an audience and have them click through to see more porn.
The last thing parents want is for their child to discover pornography this way or to use Twitter as a way to view porn without getting caught.
Why worry about porn?
One Psychology Today report shares that teens who watch porn are more likely to have sex at a younger age, and that “early exposure to pornography is a risk factor for sex addictions and other intimacy disorders”.
That’s why parents are taking control with tools like Canopy with the aim to block and filter inappropriate content from their family devices.
Best Method Overall: How to Block Porn on Twitter Using Canopy (a Parental Control App and Porn Blocker)
Here’s the method, the benefits and step-by-steps for how to block porn on Twitter with Canopy
Method:
Canopy is a parental control app for families and porn blocker for adults that filters out and blocks inappropriate content on the web including Twitter (and any other social media site, browser, or website).
Watch the video below to learn more about its features:
Benefits:
Canopy’s ability to filter out porn and inappropriate content in real-time keeps your child from ever seeing it. That means they can use Twitter freely and you can trust they’re safe.
Canopy’s other features include location alerts, sexting prevention, screen time limits, and removal prevention.
It’s effective at building better online habits for children and adults. Check out the review below to see how one family uses Canopy:
Why it’s best:
Canopy works across all computer types, tablets, and phones so that every digital base is covered.
You can block sites and filter out porn in ads as well as posts. It removes partial nudity as well.
If you want to learn more about the Canopy app and why parents choose it, watch the video below:
How to Block Porn on Twitter Using Canopy
Here’s how I blocked porn on my child’s Twitter using Canopy.
1. Set Up Your Canopy account: Sign up for a free trial of Canopy.
2. Download the ‘Canopy for Kids’ app: You need to install the app on the devices you want to restrict content for. That can be your own device or a child’s.
That’s it! Once the app is installed it will filter out porn on Twitter. Canopy works best in browsers but can filter content out in apps too.
There are additional steps you can follow to block specific websites if you want to get rid of Twitter access altogether or block other sites.
→ Start using Canopy now and protect your family from porn online. ←
Method 2: How to Block Porn on Twitter Using Twitter’s Built-In Settings
Here’s the method, its benefits, and step-by-step instructions to help you block porn on Twitter using its built-in features.
Method:
Twitter offers a few safety and privacy settings that can help block porn on the platform. They call it ‘sensitive content’.
Benefits:
Twitter’s settings are free and don’t require any 3rd party installations to work. These settings will work when using Twitter in a browser or in the app on your phone.
Why it’s second best:
While Twitter’s built-in privacy and safety settings offer some level of control, they rely on self-curation and user reports to block or limit porn.
For example, pornography can freely be posted on Twitter as long as the individual has tagged it as ‘Sensitive content’. But if they don’t tag it that way, the material can remain up until Twitter removes it.
How to Block Porn on Twitter Using Built-In Settings
Here are the exact steps I took to blocking porn on Twitter using its own settings.
1. Sign in to Twitter: Log into your Twitter account either on your desktop or mobile device.
2. Access your settings: Then, navigate to the “More” menu on the left-hand side and click on “Settings and privacy”.
3. Choose “Privacy and safety”: This section has settings to help you manage your Twitter experience.
4. Manage sensitive content: Go to “Content you see” > and toggle off “Display media that may contain sensitive content”.
5. Mute accounts, words, or conversations: For an added layer of protection, you can mute certain accounts, specific words, or even entire conversations that you don’t want to engage with.
To do this, go to “Privacy and safety” > “Mute and block” > “Muted words”. Then click ‘Add’ and type in one-by-one the words you want to block.
But even with these settings, it’s possible for porn to slip through.
For a foolproof solution, consider using Canopy which uses advanced AI to filter content more effectively.
Method 3: How to Block Porn on Twitter with a Browser Extension
Here’s the method, the benefits, and step-by-step instructions to help you block porn on Twitter using a browser extension.
Method:
Browser extensions can offer a layer of protection by blocking specific websites or types of content. Many extensions allow you to set custom filters to block porn, and some work on social media sites like Twitter.
Benefits:
Browser extensions are easy to install and can often be customized to meet your specific needs.
Why it’s third best:
These extensions only work in the specific browser they are installed in. So, if you use multiple browsers or devices, you would need to install and configure the extension in each.
Also, they won’t be effective at blocking porn within social media feeds.
If you use the Twitter app on your phone or tablet, this method is useless.
How to Block Porn on Twitter Using Browser Extensions
1. Choose a browser extension: Research browser extensions for content filtering. Two popular ones are “BlockSite” for Chrome and Firefox.
2. Install the extension: Go to your browser’s extension store, find the extension, and install it.
3. Set up the extension: Most extensions have an ‘Options’ or ‘Settings’ menu where you can customize the type of content you want to block.
4. Add Twitter content filters: If the extension allows, add custom filters for Twitter but this shouldn’t be necessary. The general blocking features should work when using the Twitter website (but not the app!).
If you want to block content on specific browsers like Safari, Chrome, and Firefox, you can read our ‘how to block adult content’ guides for each:
- How to block websites on Firefox
- How to block websites on Chrome Mobile
- How to block websites on Safari
Or get Canopy and be covered no matter where you’re browsing.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Why does Twitter have so much porn?
Twitter has relaxed policies when it comes to nudity and porn. They allow it on the platform as long as the poster tags it as ‘sensitive content’. This makes it a hotbed for pornstars and websites to promote pornography.
Why does Twitter allow inappropriate content?
As a company, Twitter wants users to have control over what they post online. For this reason, they choose to have relaxed policies regarding porn and misinformation.
Can you put parental controls on Twitter?
Yes, you can implement parental controls on Twitter. Twitter offers settings to filter explicit content and enable safe search.
However, for a more robust solution, using a parental control app like Canopy provides broader protection and real-time content filtering.
Other step-by-step guides for blocking content on different software and devices
If you’re blocking porn on Twitter you may be interested in these other guides:
