Sometimes I truly wonder whether or not Elon Musk wakes up each day and wonders, “What terrible ideas should I implement today?” While I do think he’s purposely ruining Twitter, sometimes I wonder if he just likes to f-ck with people. Eh, who am I kidding? It’s probably both. Anyway, Elon’s latest genius business move is to have Twitter no longer hide any of your public posts from any account that you’ve blocked. In the past, if you blocked someone, they had to log out or create a new account in order to see any of your public posts. Now, the workaround has been removed, so whatever creeper you’ve blocked will still be able to stalk you. They just can’t “engage” with you anymore.
X will soon change the functionality behind its block button so that if you block an account, they will still be able to see your public posts, according to changes to X’s website spotted by independent app researcher Nima Owji. Elon Musk confirmed these changes on Monday, noting that blocked accounts will still not be able to engage with users who have blocked them, but they will soon be able to see their posts.
“The block function will block that account from engaging with, but not block seeing, [a] public post,” said Musk in a tweet on Monday.
Owji says users soon may not see the “You’re blocked…” message when visiting an account of a user who has blocked them, he tells TechCrunch via a DM (direct message) on X. Instead, blocked users will see the account’s public posts, like they were any other user. There will likely still be limitations in reposting, quoting, replying, or engaging with blocked accounts. It’s unclear at this time when the change will take place.
Musk said in his tweet on Monday that it was “high time this happened.” Previously, if a public account blocked a user, that user could simply log out and view the public account’s tweets all the same. There was an easily avoidable workaround, but now X appears to be removing that function altogether.
Roughly 10 years ago, when X was still called Twitter, the platform made similar changes to the block feature that were swiftly reversed. In 2013, Twitter updated its policy to allow blocked users to see content, follow, and even engage with those who have blocked them. The account that blocked them would not be able to see these engagements, but others would. At the time, Twitter reportedly called an emergency meeting due to backlash about the blocking update, and quickly reversed its policy to keep stronger blocks in effect.
Today’s update from X does not go this far — engagements are still not allowed under blocks, according to Musk — but some may not be thrilled about the changes. Social media users often use the block feature to distance themselves from harassers, abusers, or stalkers. Under these new changes to blocking, those barriers will be softened.
I mean, at this point, he has to be tanking Twitter on purpose, right? Is there really no one over there that can tell him something is a bad idea? What does Twitter CEO Linda Yaccarino do all damn day? We block people for a reason and that’s usually because of harassment, safety, or the general desire not to engage. Legal bitches, is there some sort of right to privacy law being violated here? Or does it not matter because of some stupid terms of agreement loophole? Elon has consistently made the platform slower and more dangerous, and it’s all for his own sick enjoyment. I bet part of it is ego, too, because now he’s forcing people who’ve blocked him to see his Tweets and he theirs. And yet, the one thing he does protect is letting people see what posts a user has “liked,” which we all know is so that all of the absolute worst people on his platform can like the most hateful, disgusting posts, free from any accountability. Ugh. You can set your profile to private, friends. That’s still safe until Space Karen somehow figures out a way to take that away, too.
Elon found out that most of us had him blocked.
— Randi White (@RandiWhite) September 23, 2024
some engineer showed elon that he was the most blocked account on the platform and he got mad https://t.co/Y8KIYj2ySe
— QuoProQuid (@TNOQuoProQuid) September 23, 2024
so if someone blocked their stalker, the stalker can still stalk them? wow this is a great feature https://t.co/5YXW2wj3iB
— taylor (@wishescametrue) September 23, 2024
Photos credit: IMAGO/Juergen Hasenkopf / Avalon and Olivier Huitel / Avalon
I don’t know if you guys saw that article from earlier in the week where Elon was upset at the Super Bowl because his tweet wasn’t getting enough likes. I think Elon figured out that tons of people have him blocked on Twitter, so now he’s trying to force his tweets even more down everyone’s throats so that he can feel like a popular cool boy with big boy engagement when he tweets out his dumb memes
Also he’s done something to FYP. I’ve never had more crazy right wing stuff recommended to me
Musk is desperate for attention and he knows being an a-hole will get him attention.
What staggers me are the investors putting money into his companies. Elno is out of control and not hiding it. The US government seriously needs to start ending all his federal contracts. Other companies will step up without using our tax dollars to support this destructive partisan insanity.
The government should absolutely look into his contracts.
Typical Leon Musty behavior, forcing himself onto others. Loser-abuser.
I’ve been on Threads a lot but am also looking into Bluesky. Blue is kind of lifelessness and Threads is run by the other douchbro billionaire Zuck so maybe it’s a sign to rid myself of social media.
You should come on over to Spoutible!!! It’s not as big (yet!) but it’s a great alternative. I have an account there and keep vowing (to myself) to leave the cesspool that is twitter now, but Spoutible just isn’t as big yet. We need a mass migration from twitter to Spoutible.
If tgat is where everyone is migrating?
If so, count me in.
I’m on spoutible. totally deactivated from X i do get FOMO from time to timebut i’m holding strong areyou sussex watcher on there ?
I do have an account on Spoutible but no interaction and I’m sure that is because it’s newer and smaller. I appreciate what Bouzy is trying to do. I’ll have to try it again. I am just so grossed out by all these social media sites; I may need a cleanse.
@girl_ninja I’m really enjoying being on the fediverse (mastodon software), but it is REALLY different from all the other social media sites. There is a good “how to” guide here https://fedi.tips/ . Depending on the server you choose the first weeks vibes are very different, some are super protective and others are a bit too relaxed. I’d use this site to find a server https://fedi.garden/
The good news is, is that it is pretty easy to server hop if its not your vibe.
I really enjoy it especially as rather than an algorithm you can choose to follow a #. My current favorites are #knitting #caturday #bloomscrolling and #repair. Found some really interesting and supe ramazing people.
The only thing is, is that there are not really any celebrities (except george takei) or influencers. I get my celebrity fix here 🙂
I stopped using Twitter roughly a year ago, and I never really felt the need to join any of the ‘replacements.’ I think it’s in part because I wasn’t super engaged in the first place (and I don’t need to use it for work) but I really don’t miss it.
Whoever is left on Twitter just needs to make their accounts private. I actually have left the platform because of this threat since I have my stalker and abuser blocked, EM doing this is a very real threat to my safety, but men like EM and his 🍊 Antichrist could care less about anyone else especially women.
Probably best to delete your account if you haven’t yet.
Sorry you go through that.
Isn’t he a mega drug addict as well? I think he’s spiraling and runs the risk of an OD. He’s clearly self destructive–I think he still sees himself as the nerd who got shoved into lockers and wants revenge. No amount of money or influence can make him happy. He’s a liability with every company he currently owns. No one should ever trust him with a mars mission, he’s offended the very population of people who would buy Teslas (my brother has one but he won’t buy another), he’s destroyed a social media platform and turned into Nazis R Us. All he’s done with his Neurolink company is kill a whole lot of monkeys. Giving him any funding is like giving money to Trump. One might as well shoot an investment into a black hole. He can’t self destruct fast enough.
I would expect nothing less from a man who called for the assassination of the POTUS and/or VP, and followed that up mere HOURS later by “jokingly” threatening to rape one of the most influential women in the world to basically “put her in her place” because she disagreed with his fascist agenda. This is how he reacts to prominent people, so just imagine how few f–ks he gives about the rest of us and our safety. He’s becoming increasingly dangerous, and the government should not be rewarding him with contracts. Period.
The interesting thing is that this might break Googles terms of service where you have to be able to block someone to be on theie app stores. Also diddy was one of the investors that the court documents showed on who has invested with Elon and if he gets convicted and the court deems his money sources to be illegal money then they his business will be tainted including twitter. Elon must have nightmares about the government seizing those assets and possibly even more of twitter.
Glad I left Twitter when EM bought it.
Seriously y’all. Get off of twitter.
Right? It really is that simple. It’s not a necessity of life, it’ll be ok. I’ve never had an account and I’ve been able to live my life just fine, just as informed about the world. SM has taken over our lives and not for the better (for the most part, anyway).
Couldn’t agree more. There is life without social media. Really, there is.
Thinking about my own comment – I don’t have FB, Twitter, Insta, etc., but I do engage with communities of common interest around hobbies, so I guess that could be considered social media, but it’s topic-specific.
The simplest fix to this would be to delete your Twitter app, touch some grass and live a happier life. My life and mental health has greatly improved since I quit Twitter, leaving a hellscape, by my choice felt incredible.
I think Elon is a very dangerous person so I don’t support any of his businesses, including that platform. I am so glad I am not on Twitter. It’s a cess pool. I deleted FB and it was seriously a top 20 good decision in my life – such a MAGA Boomer site I was so over it. National sibling day, national pet your dog day, national cousin day, national insert whatever stupid made up holiday. Add to it the today I married my best friend posts and the guy is a total creeper who tries to get grabby with all the moms at the PTA. The policing of WOC and POC on FB. I noticed how annoyed /disturbed I would be after just a few minutes of scrolling.
I just have Instagram now. I tailored it so that I don’t see Trump, Trumpsters Kardashians, anything that annoys me. It’s all animals, places I want to travel or have traveled to, henna and coffee shops with a little golf, a little hockey. There are also people I find gorgeous like Sonia Barbie Tucker, Duckie Thot, Melissa McCarthy and actresses I love. When I scroll now I feel pretty happy. I am still on there no more than 30 minutes a day. Some days I don’t get on at all. I finally have a balance with it. For a while it was such a time suck.
“Let the stalking resume!”
Lort. Apple and Android. Please, please, please block Twitter from your app stores because this is dangerous. This egomaniac needs stopped and the pyramid scheme he is operating needs to crash and burn. The tax payers also do not need to pay to his rescue another faux billionaire manchild when his idiocy and ego catch up with him. The Saudis and Russians can have the nutter. Also. I saw a cybertruck out in the wild a few weeks ago. OMG. What is wrong with people?
The moment he took over Twitter, I deleted my account and I don’t miss it. *shrugs. The shitshow and the dumpster fire that is that POS is only I ever on my radar because I hear about some idiotic viewpoint he has or something moronic he’s done.
If those you’ve blocked can see your posts, expect lots more doxing and other nefarious behavior. Every day Elmo makes Twitter a more dangerous place.
Leave that cesspool.
jesus h, what is that photo? He looks like all of his evil has concentrated itself in his face.
Of all he’s done this doesn’t seem like that big of a deal. Not being able to onteract with the person who blocked you is still intact, and simply viewing PUBLIC posts by blockers was apparently incredibly simple anyway so this ultimately makes little difference. That said, Twitter is a cesspool now (I deleted my personal account long ago, but we maintain a work account, and whenever I do end up there the comments are just a pit of abuse and complete lack of humor), so I hope this will just continue to motivate people to drop the platform altogether.
The best decision I ever made was to cancel my Twitter account the moment the *rumor* of Musk buying it was public.