Elon Musk is once again trying to tweak X (formerly Twitter) in a way that you’ll either love or hate. This time, he’s targeting the blocking feature. Usually, when you block someone on social media, you never have to see them again. Sounds simple, but not with X. According to Musk’s new plan, when you block someone, you can’t interact with them of course, but more importantly, they’ll still be able to view your profile. Who wouldn’t want to be seen by someone you purposely blocked? What could go wrong?
Elon Musk expressed his thoughts on X’s blocking feature on X: “It’s about time. Blocking blocks an account from engaging with public posts, but not from viewing them.” Naturally, this announcement had mixed emotions from users. While some shrugged it off as yet another Musk moment, women who frequently encounter stalkers on the platform were less than thrilled, since nothing shows “progress” like letting a stalker monitor your every move. The reason Musk is making changes to the platform is because the act of blocking itself “doesn’t make sense” to him.
When someone is blocked on X, the platform will display a “You’ve been blocked” message and will no longer be able to see the person’s posts, replies, media, followers, or following list. According to sources close to The Verge, this is because blocked users can still view their content by logging out or using a different account. Interestingly, however, some publications have noticed that on X, profiles cannot be viewed even when logged out. So while the platform says this change makes sense, the reality seems to be a bit different.
This proposed change to X’s block feature should not be rolled out as it undermines the privacy and safety of users, especially those who are suffering from harassment or stalking. Allowing blocked users to continue to see their posts defeats the very purpose of blocking. Social media platforms exist to give users control over their interactions, and this feature takes away that control, exposing vulnerable users to unwanted attention. While X argues that posts can still be seen by logging out or using a different account, the solution is to strengthen the block feature, not weaken it. If rolled out, this change could alienate users and make X an unsafe space, especially for women and those facing harassment. This is a step back in terms of protecting user privacy, and the backlash it has already received shows that this is not what the platform needs right now.
Publisher:
Ankita Chakravarti
Release date:
September 24, 2024