Twitter Removes Default Egg Icon as its Generic Display Picture

When you create an account on Twitter and you don’t upload a photo, you can use its new generic icon (see above) as your display picture.

The update is to encourage more people to upload a profile picture on their account. The default egg icon was a fun avatar, but it is also used widely by trolls and abusers. Along with the new generic icon, Twitter added a new function that allows users to repulse tweets coming from accounts with an egg icon as well as those tweets coming from accounts with no image.

Now, accounts with no display picture will have a generic grayscale image. The update may look simple, but it took Twitter a long process in choosing a generic display picture icon – one that is glaring, but still not offensive.

This change is part of Twitter’s effort to ensure safety and security in their platform. Although trolls and abusers can still use the generic grayscale display picture icon, if people are encouraged to upload their own image, it might reduce the number of harassment. This will also encourage users to express themselves personally. If majority of the 48 million Twitter account holders decide to upload their genuine images, it will help Twitter to identify legit and fake accounts.

Source: Hutchinson, A. (2017, April 01.) Twitter’s Changed the Default ‘Egg” Avatar in Order to Encourage Users to Upload an Actual Photo. Social Media Today. Retrieved from http://www.socialmediatoday.com/social-networks/twitters-changed-default-egg-avatar-order-encourage-users-upload-actual-photo.