Anyone still using X (formerly known as Twitter) regularly needs to know that the way the block function works has changed. X is rolling out the change to the way blocking works now, and the change makes the function a lot less useful.
Blocking Someone on X No Longer Hides Your Posts
In September 2024, Elon Musk, the owner of X, teased thatthe block function was going to changein a major way. In October,the change was confirmed by the X engineering team. And now, in November, the change to the way blocking works on X is rolling out to all users.
The big change here is that blocking someone no longer means they cannot read your posts. Instead, all the while your account is public, anyone and everyone you have either previously blocked or plan to block can see your posts.
Technically, they already could have could by switching to another account. But that was an added step, and would require the blockee to have an alt account in the first place. Now, they can continue looking at your posts freely on their main account.
So, if blocking someone no longer blocks them from seeing your posts, what does it do? This is where X has deviated from the norm (every other social network out there) and set its own unique definition of what blocking someone does.
X Is Setting Its Own Definition of What Blocking Means
Essentially, as spelled out ina post on the X Help Center, blocking someone on X now means that, while they can see everything you post, they cannot engage with it in any way. They also cannot follow you, DM you, add your account to a list, or tag you in a photo.
This runs contrary to every other social media platform I have used, where blocking someone blocks them from seeing anything you do. And it’s another reason why many former Twitter/X users have decamped toalternative platforms.
And, as some users have pointed out, X’s new definition of what blocking does could go against the terms of service for the Google Play Store and iOS App Store. The latter of which states that any app with user-generated content must include “the ability to block abusive users from the service.”
