Twitter clamps down on open conversation

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John D. Sutter
CNN.com Writer/Producer

Twitter is all abuzz this morning with re-posts of this ReadWriteWeb blog, which says the micro-blogging site is clamping down on the way people converse.

From Twitter’s blog:

Based on usage patterns and feedback, we’ve learned most people want to see when someone they follow replies to another person they follow—it’s a good way to stay in the loop. However, receiving one-sided fragments via replies sent to folks you don’t follow in your timeline is undesirable. Today’s update removes this undesirable and confusing option.

Twitter calls the change a “small settings update,” but Twitter users seem upset about the move, saying that it cuts down on a common way to find new, interesting people on the site.