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Musk Suggests Users Frustrated Over Block 'Feature' Removal Should Delete Their X Account

The Tech Mogul Said The Feature 'Makes No Sense,' Noting Former CEO Jack Dorsey Agreed

Published: August 21, 2023
  |   By Christopher Bertman

Tech Mogul and X owner Elon Musk suggested users frustrated over the platform’s decision to nix the block “feature” should delete their accounts.

Musk’s suggestion follows his Friday announcement that X, formerly known as Twitter, would remove the legacy block “feature.”

Users overwhelmingly panned the decision, claiming it would attract unwanted and potentially dangerous users from contacting them. Critics panning the decision included actor James Woods who questioned Musk’s decision to remove user’s ability to block “concerted harassment by trolls” and “organized political entities.” He suggested the move would make X similar to Twitter under the leadership of co-founder and former CEO Jack Dorsey.

“Musk, whom I once championed, is only doing this to protect his advertisers anyway,” Woods wrote Saturday. “Users of X are mere pawns to turn the site into an electronic shopping mall. The man I thought was a defender of free speech is just another greedy capitalist. Disappointing, but not surprising.”

The tech mogul responded, “Then delete your account.”

On Sunday afternoon, Woods shared an image to X revealing the tech mogul had blocked the actor.

“You [sic] prerogative, sir, which is exactly my point,” he wrote. “Have a nice day.”

Woods followed up his post by noting he would not monetize his account.

“I have battled the oppressive boot of censorship before, and will continue until the Stasi at X find an excuse to bury me for good,” he wrote. “In the meantime, I won’t monetize my account, I will continue to shine a light on hypocrisy, and yes, keep the beloved INSTABLOCK cocked and locked.”

In another post, the actor said he would not leave the platform.

“I’ve received such astonishing support from all of you, I’m truly humbled,” he said. “The recurring theme in your many heartfelt DM’s was a fear that I would leave X.”

“I’ve [sic] have now decided I will never leave, and will only ever be silent when they find an excuse to remove my account.”

Though Musk announced the block “feature” would be “deleted,” he said the feature would still be available for direct messages between users.

The tech mogul later added the feature “makes no sense.”

Musk received a community note on his initial post suggesting the removal of the platform’s block “feature” would deem the application ineligible for being available in the Apple App Store along with the Google Play store.

“If the ability to block users was to be removed, X would be in violation of the policies of the App Store as well as the Google Play Store,” the community note read. “Potentially, this could lead to X being removed from these platforms.”

The message noted X’s web-app contained no policies requiring a block “feature.”

Musk received a second community note on his follow up post suggesting “blocking is a basic safety feature that allows basic protection for victims of abuse and stalking.”

“Removing this feature would compromise the safety of many people on social media,” the note concluded.

Early Sunday, the tech mogul jokingly said he would begin blocking users who complain about the upcoming removal of the block “feature.”

“How does the medicine taste?” Musk wrote with two laughing emojis.

The X owner elaborated on the platform’s decision to remove the “feature” Sunday evening.

“Mute needs to mute properly, including all mentions. Block will only apply to DMs,” Musk wrote, adding co-founder former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey understood the platform’s effort to remove the block “feature.”

“Surprisingly few others do.”

As of Monday morning, the platform’s block “feature” is still functioning.

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