FlooferLand!Oct 2, 2024
mcc

If you happen to still have a Twitter account you haven't deleted, be aware that Musk has announced the block feature is changing so that people you've blocked can be shown your posts:

https://www.theverge.com/2024/9/23/24252438/x-blocked-users-view-public-posts

A suggestion: Especially if your Twitter account is dormant, just take it private. This will prevent block-ees from seeing your posts even if Musk makes the change he threatens. (You may also want to download your archive so you can continue to search your own post history.)

X will let people you’ve blocked see your posts

Elon Musk announced that X will no longer prevent the people you’ve blocked from seeing your posts. They still won’t be able to interact with your content, however.

The Verge
Sep 23, 2024 at 8:49pmWeb
Show threadJPSep 23, 2024
@mcc +1 for locking and downloading archive and logging off. and if you do have to peek back in, still blocking assholes - apparently the more accounts you've blocked the more twitter server CPU it consumes.
Show threadmccSep 23, 2024
@jplebreton I'm hosting my own archive of my twitter posts and quite happy with this being the exclusive means of people seeing those posts.
Show threadboiertSep 23, 2024

@mcc Now what kind of technology are you wanting, one where users are identified even when not logged in - or being able to browse the internet anonymously?

Blocking is such a useless feature when you decide to publicly express yourself.

Show threadmccSep 23, 2024

@boiert 1. Internet safety features are often about creating *friction* rather than prohibiting an action entirely. This change removes that friction. One question I have is whether, if A blocks B, under the new rules B can get A surfaced in the For You tab.

2. Private mode *does* limit who can see your posts to people you have approved.

3. To my understanding, Mastodon in authorized_fetch mode also has the effect desired here, even with non-public posts.

Show threadboiertSep 24, 2024

@mcc Ah yes, the other effect of blocking, not the fallacy of them no longer being able to read your posts but you no longer being able to see them.

That should be implemented by a filter on “your” end, not by the service-server-side. You pretending they don’t exist, it only having effect for you.

Show threadSilver HuskeySep 23, 2024
@boiert @mcc Eh, sometimes it's about not wanting see something rather than not wanting to be seen.
Show threadOrca 🌻 | 🎀 | 🪁 | 🏴🏳️‍⚧️Sep 23, 2024
@mcc Was thinking about the same thing. I still remembered using right click - "open in private window" when I saw someone blocked me on Twitter and they're not private (when I still have an Twitter account) 🤔
Show threadJacobSep 24, 2024
@Orca @mcc I get that this makes block less satisfying, but it doesn’t make much sense to restrict read access to someone’s completely public feed. Tumblr works the same way.
Show threadmccSep 24, 2024

@jazaval @Orca It makes sense because

1. Simply increasing friction can often meaningfully reduce harassment

2. Twitter has both social and algorithmic surfacing measures such as RTs and "For You"

Show threadmccSep 24, 2024
@jazaval @Orca Also, as I believe the above article notes, Twitter feeds are no longer public. You generally have to be logged in to see them.
Show threadJacobSep 24, 2024

@mcc @Orca individual user tweets are public, their replies do require an account to view. any algorithmic content or “trending”content also requires an account.

but user pages are not behind a login wall:
https://x.com/kamalaharris

Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) on X

Fighting for the people. Wife, Momala, Auntie. She/her. Official account is @VP.

X (formerly Twitter)
Show threadOrca 🌻 | 🎀 | 🪁 | 🏴🏳️‍⚧️Sep 24, 2024
@mcc @jazaval there are still some public nitter instances that are run on (genuine) twitter accounts, though
Show threadAmi AngelwingsSep 23, 2024
@mcc no privating accounts is coming next probably
Show threadmccSep 23, 2024
@ami_angelwings Elon Musk will not truly have freedom of speech until he can see all the lewd selfies people posted on priv
Show threadAmi AngelwingsSep 23, 2024
@mcc he'll make twitter have a $50 a month fee which you can offset by trading lewd selfies to him
Show threadFeohSep 24, 2024
@mcc That's incredibly disturbing. It's an open invite to stalkers, harassers and all manner of miscreants.
Show threadpenryuSep 24, 2024
@mcc @RosaCtrl I'm sorry, this is my fault. I blocked Elon, and he just couldn't stand not seeing my posts.
Show threadpenryuSep 24, 2024
@mcc @RosaCtrl Doesn't appear to be in place yet though.