People are criticising X – formerly Twitter – after a new change to its blocking function.
The Elon Musk-owned app has made a major change – and it’s one of many to be implemented since Musk took over back in 2022.
While previously, users could block another person on X and it would restrict them from engaging with or viewing their posts, the new change is rather different.
Elon Musk took over X in 2022 (Matt Cardy/Getty Images)
Those using the app in the last few days have been alerted to the change, with some reporting a message popping up that explains how it will work.
It reads: “If your posts are set to public, accounts you have blocked will be able to view them, but they will not be able to engage.”
So essentially, this means that if you block somebody and your account is public, the person you blocked will be able to see all of your posts and content, but they cannot engage (for example, comment, repost or like).
Just days ago, the X Engineering account posted, explaining: “Today, block can be used by users to share and hide harmful or private information about those they’ve blocked.
“Users will be able to see if such behavior occurs with this update, allowing for greater transparency.”
The block function is changing (X)
But users are furious with the update, with many confused over the function.
One person wrote: “People block who they don’t want to see or see them. That’s the point. They do NOT want transparency.”
While another said: “Oh yes. Now that creepy person you blocked can see your timeline again. Sure they can’t interact but they can still screenshot and repost, etc… Fantastic.”
And a third added: “Are you completely out of your mind? I do *not* want people I blocked to be able to stalk me. That’s the whole point of blocking someone.”
Meanwhile a fourth commented: “So now we each have to monitor what people we blocked are doing with our content, we can’t just stop them seeing it. How’s this in any way helpful?”
This is a dangerous decision for a social media platform, and will have serious implications for victims – especially those being stalked – and their safety. Enabling blocked users to see posts is catering to abusers and stalkers, indulging and facilitating their behaviours pic.twitter.com/bxcPhJYXnx
— Victims’ Commissioner London (@LDNVictimsComm) October 17, 2024
In a post, London’s victims’ commissioner Claire Waxman said the decision was ‘catering to abusers’.
She wrote: “This is a dangerous decision for a social media platform, and will have serious implications for victims – especially those being stalked – and their safety. Enabling blocked users to see posts is catering to abusers and stalkers, indulging and facilitating their behaviours.”
LADbible has reached out to X for comment.