Twitter users urged to make immediate change to their settings after app introduces 'dangerous' new feature

Users of Twitter have been urged to make a change to their account settings after the platform introduced a new feature.

In the past Twitter, which is also known as X, was mainly used for microblogging, tweeting small posts out as well as having direct message features, videos and suchlike.

But now the platform has introduced a new feature which allows users to actually call each other, like you might in WhatsApp.

However, this feature has already met with a pretty glaring problem which has concerned people, with many urging Twitter users to make a crucial change in their settings.

It's actually rather important, as it's a matter of staying safe while online.

The change that users have been urged to make is to go into their settings, then into 'privacy and safety', and finally into 'direct messages'.

If you scroll down there, you will see a switch that says 'enhanced call privacy', that's the one to check.

NurPhoto / Contributor

The risk of the feature becomes very apparent from the description underneath the toggle.

This reads: "Enable this setting to avoid revealing your IP address to your contact during your call."

For those who don't know, your IP address stands for 'Internet Protocol', and is used for a number things online.

But a big thing that your IP address reveals about you is your physical location, and this is likely to be something that you don't want to reveal to people online.

In fact, 'doxxing', or posting someone's personal information publicly, often includes revealing a physical location.

Revealing an IP address via a call could pose a safeguarding risk, as well as risking users who are unaware of the feature unwittingly revealing their location.

Mateusz Slodkowski/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

Many users piled into the comments to share their views on the feature.

One wrote: "Any of ya'll call me from twitter, I'm blocking you LMAO. Who the hell gonna use twitter for phone/video calls, that's akin to ordering Italian food at a Mexican restaurant."

A second tweeted: "'Enhanced call privacy' more like 'the literal bare minimum privacy'."

A third wrote: "Amazing add a new feature. Immediately make it be able to dox you by default."

Information on Twitter's help centre described the feature, saying: "Enhanced call privacy is a new setting on X that helps protect your privacy. With this setting enabled, your IP address will be hidden from people you call and receive calls from."

UNILAD has reached out to Twitter for comment.