Elon Musk removes X block button as users fear return of ‘creeps’

Controversial move sees mass pushback from users

Elon Musk during a visit to Paris, on 16 June, 2023, alongside the X logo (Getty Images)

Elon Musk is facing a backlash after announcing that the block button on X (fomerly Twitter) will no longer prevent people from viewing posts.

The billionaire, who took over the social media app in 2022, said the update was long overdue, having previously claimed that the feature “makes no sense” and should be removed entirely.

“High time this happened,” Mr Musk wrote on X. “The block function will block that account from engaging with, but not block seeing, public post.”

His post received thousands of comments, with many X users fearing that the update will make X more toxic and open to harassment.

“With respect, I think this is a bad idea,” wrote X user Nzube Udezue, also known as the musician Zuby. “There are many reasons somebody may not want certain individuals from easily seeing all their public posts. There are some really bad actors on social media, sadly.”

Another user replied: “I don’t want the creeps I’ve blocked seeing my posts at all.”

It is not clear when X plans to roll out the update, though some users have reported that it has already come into effect for their accounts.

The update is one of a number of changes introduced to the app since Mr Musk’s acquisition nearly two years ago, with multiple organisations reporting that the takeover has coincided with a rise in hate speech.

The Centre for Countering Digital Hate and the Anti-Defamation League both found that racist slurs had increased newaly three times since October 2022, while the Institute of Strategic Dialogue reported that anti-semitic posts had doubled.

Separate studies have also reported a rise in misinformation, Islamaphopia, mysogynistic hate and anti-LGBT rhetoric on the platform, with media monitoring group GLAAD claiming in 2023 that X is “the most dangerous platform for LGBTQ people”.