Musk says X will let blocked accounts still see user posts

Elon Musk has mentioned social media platform X plans to reduce how its blocking software works, in order that blocked accounts will nonetheless be capable to view a person’s public posts, however not interact with them.

At present, when an account blocks one other on the positioning, it prevents the blocked person from having the ability to view any exercise on the opposite’s profile, in addition to work together with any of their posts.

Responding to a put up on the topic, Musk mentioned: “Excessive time this occurred. The block operate will block that account from participating with, however not block seeing, public put up (sic).”

Nonetheless, the proposed change has been met with concern, with plenty of customers warning it might influence security on the platform and safety on the platform, significantly for girls.

Quite a few these responding to Musk’s put up mentioned the block characteristic was generally used to deal with actual world security considerations, with a number of noting that many ladies use the characteristic to guard themselves from being immediately threatened with abuse and violence.

It was argued that permitting blocked accounts to nonetheless see a person’s posts would cut back the extent of safety that the characteristic presently gives and will depart weak folks uncovered.

In accordance with a 2021 report by girls and youngsters’s security charity, Refuge, a couple of in three girls within the UK have skilled on-line abuse on social media – equal to 11 million girls throughout the nation.

One in six of these girls skilled this abuse from a companion or ex-partner, the report mentioned, including that on-line abuse is twice as frequent amongst younger girls, with 62% saying they’ve skilled it.

Neither X or Musk has confirmed when the proposed change might come into impact.

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