Elon Musk is taking a risk by removing a crucial feature that could protect users from harassment on X, formerly known as Twitter. Because he thinks it is unnecessary to block users on the app, Musk will soon remove the option to do so on the social media platform.
Blocking is going to be deleted as a “feature,” save for direct messages, Musk stated in response to a tweet on X. He has previously expressed his disliking of this feature. He recently stated that the block feature would be eliminated, save for direct messages. He commented that this change is absurd. Former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey responded to Musk’s post by endorsing his choice. He then made the suggestion that there should only be a mute option.
Musk has long made it clear that he dislikes blocking. In June, he advocated for Twitter to introduce a more forceful method of silencing users in place of blocking. He also expressed dissatisfaction with those who block numerous Twitter Blue subscribers and compile lengthy lists of users to block. However, Musk occasionally breaks his promises, so it will be interesting to see if this change actually materializes.
Having said that, the Mute function will still be available. Block and Mute operate very differently, though. Block prevents other users from contacting you, viewing your posts, or following you. Mute only prevents them from seeing your posts. When you muffle someone, they have no idea. The block feature for direct messages will still be available, according to Musk.
High-profile accounts like politicians and celebrities could face a lot of problems if Musk decides to remove the block feature. They won’t be able to stop the unwarranted hatred that will be directed at them on the platform.
Related Article: Elon Musk Launches xAI to Compete with OpenAI and Google
Here are five scenarios that could happen if Musk removes the platform’s block feature.
Unwanted Interactions: Without a way to stop them, people may have to deal with rude or obnoxious messages from others. This might reduce the fun of using Twitter.
Harassment: Users might experience more bullying or harassment on the platform if they are unable to block accounts. They wouldn’t be able to defend themselves against such actions.
Spam and Annoyance: People may constantly receive unwanted or spam messages, which clog up their notifications. Removing the block option might cause more inconvenience because blocking helps keep these things away.
Privacy Issues: Users can control who can interact with them by blocking them. Without it, they risk having their privacy violated and dealing with intrusive attention from people they don’t want to interact with.
Loss of Control: If users are unable to block accounts, they may feel as though they have less control over their Twitter experience. They ought to be able to select the people with whom they want to interact.
