People may now view your public posts even if you have blocked them, thanks to X’s controversial change to the block mechanism. Some have protested this change, saying that they are concerned about their safety and don’t want their posts to be viewed by barred users.
New block function on X raises stalking and harassment concerns
A new feature is brewing controversy on X where users can now view the public posts of accounts that blocked them. Some users objected to the adjustment, asserting the feature encouraged stalkers and made them uneasy.
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Blocked users can still not send direct messages, interact with posts, or follow the account that blocked them. Although the limitation offers partial privacy, it fails to address the pressing issue of visibility.
Changes to user privacy settings on X
According to an outdated version of X’s help website, blocked users could not view a user’s lists of followers and follow. However, after the company removed references to restricted visibility on its help page, users may now view these lists even if they’ve been blocked. This shift has led to confusion and privacy concerns among users.
According to X, the new version of the block function aims to increase transparency, allowing users to communicate and conceal private or sensitive information if needed. But given that X also provides options for making accounts private, critics argue that the feature be revised to protect user safety and privacy.
Read also: How to edit your DMs on X: A step-by-step guide
Concerns over harassment and stalking risks
When X revealed its plan to redesign the block function, many worried it would increase stalking and harassment, posing potential risks for users relying on traditional block functions for privacy. The change undermines the purpose of blocking, which has long been a tool to prevent unwanted contact and visibility.
Tracy Chou, a tech diversity advocate and software developer, built an app that allows users to automate banning. She claims that creating friction is essential, even though users may circumvent the block by creating new accounts.
“Making it easy for the creeper to creep is not a good thing,” she said in a post on X last month.