X started showing posts from blocked users

The social media platform Blocking a user on X no longer completely prevents that person from accessing your posts. According to the new regulation, blocked users will still be able to see the posts of the blocked accounts, but they will not be able to interact directly with these accounts. This step brought discussions about social media security back to the agenda. The announcement of the change was made in September.

The platform states that the aim of the change in the blocking feature is to provide “more transparency”. X management suggested that it is possible for users to see the accounts they have blocked through a different profile, so the current block system can be used by users for manipulative purposes. However, many experts and social media users agree that this regulation does not provide sufficient protection against malicious people.

Social media security experts state that with this new blocking system, especially victims of harassment and bullying will feel more vulnerable on the platform. London Victims’ Commission Member Claire Waxman said in a statement last month that this change by X has a feature that encourages harassing and stalker behavior. Waxman emphasized that the ability of blocked users to continue viewing content poses serious security risks, especially for victims of harassment.

X’s new blocking regulation is subject to criticism that it may also violate the rules in Apple and Google’s app stores. In particular, Apple’s developer guidelines emphasize that users should be able to block abusers. The block button still technically exists, but the ability of blocked people to see content has greatly reduced the impact of this rule. It remains unclear whether Apple and Google will impose any sanctions regarding this change.

X gains users from its competitors with its controversial moves

With this controversial change, many users began to turn to alternative social media platforms. X’s increasingly criticized security policies have accelerated the user acquisition of rival platforms. In particular, the Threads platform developed by Meta announced that it reached 275 million monthly active users by gaining 75 million new users in the last three months. Alternatives such as BlueSky and Mastodon, which are among the platforms that prioritize user security and privacy, are also gaining growing interest.

While this change made by X in the blocking feature is negatively received by many users, it causes the platform to lose its appeal, especially for individuals who are sensitive about social media security and digital privacy. With this incident, the necessity of new regulations to ensure security on digital platforms came to the fore once again. On the other hand, it is a matter of curiosity how X will maintain trust and loyalty among users with this change.