Elon Musk says X’s block feature may undergo major change. Will Apple and Google legally allow it?

Elon Musk has proposed yet another potential change for the X social media site, meaning users may experience a change in their ability to block others on the platform. But, some point out that the new development could come with legal woes.

Concern surrounding the potential change began to swirl after Nima Owji, a web developer and app researcher, said in a post Monday that X would be removing its block button, meaning public accounts could no longer prevent anyone from seeing their posts, even if they block them.

Owji didn’t cite a source for his information in the post, but Musk seemed to support the move in a response.

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

Some users expressed concern that the change would make the site less safe.

“Great,” journalist Katie Lewis wrote. “My stalker will be thrilled by this news.”

X users were also quick to point out that this change may not be legally sound, due to app store requirements set forth by Apple and Google.

Apple’s guidelines require any apps with user-generated content or social networking services to include “the ability to block abusive users from the service.” X used this feature when it removed former President Donald Trump’s account from the site in 2021 for fear he would incite additional violence. Trump rejoined the social media site last year.

Google has similar policies for apps available on Google Play. Apps with user-generated content “must provide an in-app functionality for blocking users.” App users must also be able to “report users and content, and to block users.”

Apple and Google guidelines don’t necessarily ensure that users can block each other.

However, if Musk does alter the app’s block feature, Owji said not much would change.

“The block button for public accounts was a stupid feature since everyone could view the posts from their browsers’ incognito mode,” he wrote. – Houston Chronicle/Tribune News Service