X to get rid of ability to block accounts, says Elon Musk

By Alex Barinka

X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, will remove the ability for users to block other accounts, owner Elon Musk said in a post Friday.

Musk, who acquired Twitter last year for $44 billion and has set about overhauling the social media site, said blocking will still be possible for direct messages, but that it would be deleted as a “feature.”

Blocking has been a popular safety tool that helps users protect themselves from unwelcome interactions on X. It ensures that blocked accounts won’t see your posts — and that their posts won’t show up in your feed. The blocked account also can’t direct-message you.

People will still be able to mute other accounts, which means they won’t see that user’s posts. But a muted account can see the person’s posts, respond to them and repost them to their own followers with commentary. Muted accounts also can still send direct messages.

Since he acquired the platform, Musk has rolled back safety policies that Twitter had in place. He’s also fired content moderators and reinstated formerly banned users who broke previous rules. Advertisers have left the platform, contributing to a 50 per cent drop in ad revenue.

In response to criticism about how the changes have affected the platform’s safety, X Chief Executive Officer Linda Yaccarino has said “more than 99% of content users and advertisers see on Twitter is healthy.” She hasn’t disclosed what defines “healthy” or how the company calculates that measurement.