On Friday, Elon Musk, the owner of X, said that X, formerly known as Twitter, will not allow users to block other accounts in an upcoming feature, making another controversial action for the firm he purchased in 2022.
The user’s account block feature on X allows a user to block a user account from seeing their posts, following them, or contacting them.
Musk posted on an X platform, “Block is going to be deleted as a ‘feature’, except for DMs.”
He has defined himself as a free-speech absolutist, but some critics have said his policy is unreliable. Researchers have seen a growth in hate speech and antisemitic content on the X, since he purchased it last year, while some governments have indicted the firm of not doing sufficiently to mediate its content.
With policies contained by Alphabet’s Google Play and Apple’s App Store, Removing or modifying the block feature might carry X into dispute.
Users must have the capability to block offensive accounts, Apple said.
Social media platforms must-have features for blocking abusive users and content, Google Play Store said.
Apple, X, and Google did not immediately reply to requests for comment.
Linda Yaccarino defended Musk’s latest move by responding to Monica Lewinsky, an anti-bullying activist, suggesting X uphold the “critical tool to keep people safe online.”
She posted that users’ safety is our priority. And we’re creating something better than the recent state of block and mute.
