Elon Musk, the CEO of X (formerly known as Twitter), has revealed that the platform’s blocking feature will be eliminated, as he asserts that the feature is illogical. However, users will still retain the ability to block individuals from sending them direct messages.
Musk’s decision has generated mixed reactions. Many users are concerned that this change could make it challenging to counteract abusive content on their timelines. Currently, when an account is blocked, its posts no longer appear in the blocker’s timeline, and the same applies in reverse. Additionally, a blocked account cannot send messages to the person who blocked them, nor can they view their posts.
While former Twitter founder Jack Dorsey appeared to support Musk’s move, suggesting “Mute only,” some users express worries that muting an account might not provide sufficient protection against harassment, abuse, or stalking. The mute function stops notifications about an account’s posts, however muted accounts can still view the muter’s posts and respond to them.
Critics of Musk’s decision argue that this move could prove to be a “huge mistake,” as there are individuals on the platform who are considered “toxic” and whom users wish to avoid interacting with entirely.
The elimination of the blocking feature could also potentially lead to non-compliance with the terms and conditions of platforms like Apple’s App Store and Google Play. Both stores mandate that social media apps should provide users with tools to filter out harassment or bullying. This change could potentially result in X no longer being available for download from these stores.
If the policy is implemented, it remains unclear whether all previously blocked accounts will be automatically unblocked. Users still have the option to make their accounts private, limiting their tweets’ visibility to accepted followers only, thereby shielding their posts from the public eye.
Elon Musk, the world’s wealthiest individual, has introduced a series of changes since taking the reins of the social media site. His actions have included overhauling the company’s top executive team and implementing a fee for the platform’s “blue tick” verification feature.
