Elon Musk, owner of social network X, formerly known as Twitter, has announced that the blocking feature will be removed from the platform, claiming it “makes no sense”. Musk’s decision is part of a series of changes he has implemented since the company’s October 2022 acquisition and, like the others, has received backlash from users.
end of blocks
In a post on social network X, Musk said, “Blocking will be dropped as a ‘feature’ except for DMs. It makes no sense.”
Currently, the block feature allows users to block specific accounts from contacting them, seeing their tweets, and following them. It is a useful tool in case of harassment, threats or stalking on the platform.
To the surprise of many, Jack Dorsey, the former CEO of Twitter, backed the decision, responding to Musk’s post with a “silence” injunction. Indeed, Musk has suggested that X users could use the mute function instead of blocking. However, the mute function simply removes an account’s posts from the history, without blocking or preventing the account from being viewed.
previous changes
Since buying Twitter and renaming it X, Musk has proposed and implemented a number of changes. These included the removal of the verified user designation of journalists, celebrities and other institutions in favor of a paid verified user program now called X Premium. Additionally, Musk turned Tweetdeck into a subscription-only option, rebranded as X Pro. But the biggest change was limiting the amount of tweet posts that can be accessed daily, with subscribers to the paid service getting the greatest advantage.
The changes also include hiring former NBCUniversal executive Linda Yaccarino as CEO of X/Twitter. But Musk said she will continue to oversee X’s products and technology teams, while Yaccarino will only be responsible for advertising and business operations.
advance of hate
The removal of the blocking feature raises questions about how users can protect themselves from extreme online behavior. The suggested alternative of using the mute function may not be sufficient, as it does not prevent the muted user from following or replying to their target’s posts, encouraging harassment, stalking and spreading hate on the platform.
It’s not yet clear whether the change will mean previously blocked accounts will be unblocked, but this appears to be the natural way forward. Since Musk canceled the ex-Twitter’s communication notice, there is no clarification.
Source: Terra
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