X, formerly known as Twitter, is making changes to its block feature. The update will allow users who have been blocked to still see public posts from the accounts that blocked them. Elon Musk confirmed this change on Monday in response to independent app researcher Nima Owji’s note about the update.
According to Musk, the block function will prevent blocked accounts from engaging with users who have blocked them, but it will not prevent them from seeing public posts. This means that blocked users will no longer receive a “You’re blocked…” notification when visiting a blocked account and will be able to view posts as if they were any other user.
However, they will still be limited in actions such as reposting or replying. Musk emphasized that this change was long overdue, as previously blocked users could easily view public tweets by logging out. This update aims to address that loophole. Notably, this is not the first time X has altered its block functionality. In 2013, when the platform was still known as Twitter, a similar change faced backlash from users and was quickly reversed. The previous update allowed blocked users to see and engage with the content of those who blocked them, which led to an emergency meeting at Twitter and a swift policy reversal.
The latest update does not allow engagement between blocked users and those who blocked them. However, some users may still find these changes concerning, especially since the block feature is often used to protect against harassment and unwanted interactions.