Under the new system, blocked users can still view posts and profiles but cannot directly interact with the accounts that blocked them.
The platform defended the change, initially announced in October, by claiming it addresses instances where users exploit the block feature to share harmful information about others without their knowledge.
“Users will be able to see if such behavior occurs with this update, allowing for greater transparency,” X stated in its announcement.
However, the modification has sparked immediate and widespread criticism from users and safety advocates.
No1 asked to replace the block button with a glorified mute button
— packergirl (@p9cker_girl) November 3, 2024
Those of us who have stalkers on here and content thieves don’t appreciate this change at all and shouldn’t need to lock our accounts to protect ourselves from predatory types.
— Mountain Streams – AJay (@HDealla) November 3, 2024
Critics argue the change effectively weakens a crucial safety tool, potentially enabling stalkers and abusive individuals to monitor their targets more easily. While blocked users could previously accomplish this by creating alternative accounts, the new system removes even that minimal barrier.
Competing platforms have seized the moment to differentiate themselves, with Bluesky explicitly announcing it will maintain traditional blocking functionality. The rival platform recently reported reaching 13 million users, while Meta’s Threads has grown to 275 million users.
Safety experts have noted potential conflicts with app store guidelines, particularly Apple’s requirement that social media apps must provide “the ability to block abusive users from the service.”
The change appears to contradict X’s own recent privacy-focused decisions, such as hiding like counts to protect user privacy. This inconsistency has not gone unnoticed by users, with many responding to the announcement with variations of “Nobody asked for this.”
