Every time X, which used to be Twitter, takes a step forward, it is always followed by another step back. Elon Musk plans to change another major feature in the platform, which he stated in response to a tweet by another user on X.
You Won't Be Able to Block X Users Anymore
In the event that the X owner goes through with it, people can say goodbye to another feature that the social networking site has had for years. The block feature is a useful way to cut someone off completely, which is why it is used by most mainstream platforms.
User @teslaownersSV posted on X asking if there is a reason to block or mute someone, to which Musk replied saying that "block" is going to be deleted as a feature. He also mentioned that while it blocking accounts is no longer an option, it can still be done with DMs.
On X's help page, it says that "Twitter gives people a variety of tools to control their experience, including blocking," as mentioned in Tech Crunch, which will restrict specific accounts from seeing the blocker's tweets (or posts), following them, and sending them direct messages.
Block is going to be deleted as a “feature”, except for DMs
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 18, 2023
Between the two features that were mentioned by the fan account, "mute" will remain, but it won't have the same effect as blocking someone. It simply hides the posts of the person that has been muted, but they will still be able to see the muter's tweets and send them DMs.
If you have been on the social media site long enough, you've probably already blocked an account or two. It's a convenient way to restrict accounts that post spam, or ones that are harassing you or posting any kind of content you're not comfortable with.
This can be especially important for famous artists on the platform, who are subjected to more criticism and harassment than an average person. Even if they mute the user, replies will still show up to the people following the person who did the muting.
You Can Soft Block Someone Instead
There is a way for you to remove ties with an account without having to block them. The soft blocking method allows you to remove a follower, which is kind of like muting on their end since they will no longer see your tweets or interact with you if your account is private.
In order to do so, you will have to log in to your X account on Google Chrome. Head to your profile and open your followers list and look for the user you intend to soft block. Beside the follow button, you can click on the three-dot menu and select "Remove this follower."
If you know the username of the account you want to get rid of, you can also search for them specifically. This saves you time from scrolling through your followers list. The same steps apply only this time, the three-dot menu will be alongside the message icon.
