In a recent development that has sparked widespread discussion across social media circles, Elon Musk has confirmed that X, the platform he owns, will soon alter its blocking functionality. This change will enable users who have been blocked to still view the public posts of those who have blocked them, although they will not be able to interact with those posts.
The New Direction for X’s Blocking Feature
The news was initially brought to light by Nima Owji, a web developer, who shared that X is set to overhaul the existing block feature. “BREAKING: X is about to remove the current block button, meaning that if an account is public, their posts will be visible to the blocked users as well!” Owji revealed. This announcement was swiftly followed by a response from Musk, who expressed his support for the update. “High time this happened,” Musk tweeted. He elaborated that while blocked users will be able to see public posts, they will not be able to engage with them.
User Reactions: Concerns Over Potential Harassment
The proposed changes have not been met with universal approval. Many X users, along with public figures, have voiced concerns that this adjustment might ease the way for increased harassment. “Eh, I am not a fan of this, to say the least,” remarked Jeremy Clark, a senior fellow at the Claremont Institute. He highlighted the ease with which bad actors could misuse the feature, noting, “Too easy for bad actors to simply take a screenshot and urge their non-blocked followers to harass an account.” Similarly, rapper Zuby expressed his reservations, emphasizing the risks of unwanted visibility. “With respect, I think this is a bad idea,” Zuby commented. “There are many reasons somebody may not want certain individuals from easily seeing all their public posts. There are some REALLY bad actors on social media, sadly.”
Behind the Decision: A Step Toward Transparency or a Privacy Misstep?
Owji defended the update as a step toward transparency, arguing that the previous block function was ineffective anyway, especially since users could circumvent it using incognito modes on their browsers. “The block button for public accounts was a stupid feature since everyone could view the posts from their browser’s incognito mode,” he stated. As the conversation unfolds, the community remains split. Supporters of the change argue that it promotes a more transparent and open environment on X, while opponents worry about the potential ramifications for user privacy and safety.
