X users will soon lose ability to block people: Musk

The comments section below Musk's announcement was filled with accounts expressing concern.

Published: August 18, 2023 4:06pm

X (Twitter) owner Elon Musk on Friday announced that the platform's "block" feature will soon be removed.

"Block is going to be deleted as a 'feature', except for DMs," he stated. "It makes no sense."

Musk made the announcement in a response to another account asking "Is there ever a reason to block vs mute someone? Give your reasons."

Blocking someone on the platform permits them from messaging the user, commenting on their posts, or even viewing their content. Muting someone, meanwhile, has no bearing on their ability to view or comment on content and merely prevents the person muting them from seeing the muted user's posts.

The comments section below Musk's announcement was filled with accounts expressing concern, with many pointing to the number of trolls and pornographic accounts on the platform that would likely become emboldened in the absence of the block feature.

"So people will be able to spam and trash someone in replies and we will only be able to make it so we can't personally see it?" replied TimCast Editor in Chief Cassandra Fairbanks. "Blocking doesn't even go far enough. People shouldn't be able to tag people who have them blocked."

"AINT no WAY I’m using this app if I can’t block the p*rn posters in my replies," said conservative activist Lauren Southern.

Federalist Cofounder Sean Davis called the decision a "terrible idea."

"By bringing back secret internal censorship and shadow-banning, while removing the ability of people to filter content and accounts for themselves, you’re super-charging the worst and most destructive aspects of the platform," he added.

Ben Whedon is an editor and reporter for Just the News. Follow him on Twitter.

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