Elon Musk wants to remove the block feature on X

X (formerly Twitter) owner Elon Musk insisted that the block feature on the social media platform would be removed, though app developer policies say otherwise

There are internet extensions available which let users block blue tick accounts altogether [File] | Photo Credit: REUTERS

X social media platform owner Elon Musk said on Friday that the ability to block other users will be removed except in direct messages, adding that the feature did not make sense.

However, his post was soon attached to a Community Notes banner which provided additional context and claimed that taking away the ability to block abusive users on a platform would violate Google Play Store and Apple policies for app developers. However, this note was later removed.

A less powerful alternative to blocking users on X (formerly Twitter) is muting other accounts. However, muted accounts can still participate in the original poster’s discussions and troll the user’s other followers.

When the blue verification tick on Twitter became a buyable perk, several internet extensions gave users the ability to mass-block all accounts with blue ticks.

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Musk did not provide a timeline for the removal of the blocking feature.

Earlier this week, CNN reported that a minimum of two brands were stopping ads on X after learning that their media had been posted alongside an account glorifying Adolf Hitler and Nazism.

Affected brands whose ads were published on the account with hate speech included Adobe, Gilead Sciences, the University of Maryland’s football team, New York University Langone Hospital, and NCTA (The Internet and Television Association), as per the outlet.

Gilead and the NCTA said they had taken action to stop ad spending on X.

The social media platform said it investigated the matter and downplayed the impact on the brands.

The Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) research organisation which studies hate speech on social media said this month it had been sued by Musk because of its research on hate and disinformation on X.

X’s advertising revenue is down by around half, with X CEO Linda Yaccarino trying to rebuild relationships with notable brands even as owner Musk said he would express his thoughts on the platform - regardless of advertising dollars.