Elon Musk, the owner of X, formerly known as Twitter, has announced that the platform will remove the block feature, which allows users to restrict specific accounts from contacting them, seeing their posts or following them.
The mute function, which screens a user from seeing specified accounts but does not alert the other account to the action, will be retained.
Musk’s decision has been met with criticism from some users, who argue that the block feature is essential for protecting themselves from harassment and abuse. Others have questioned whether the move is in line with Apple’s and Google’s app store guidelines, which require apps with user-generated content to have the ability to block abusive users.
In a post on X, Musk said that the block feature “makes no sense” and that he plans to replace it with a “better” system. He did not provide any details about what this new system would entail.
Chief Executive Linda Yaccarino defended Musk’s decision in response to activist Monica Lewinsky’s plea to retain the blocking tool for online safety. Yaccarino affirmed that X prioritizes user safety and is working on an improved alternative to the current block and mute functionalities.
The sources for this piece include an article in Reuters.