Elon Musk’s X has been modified so that accounts you’ve blocked on the social media platform can still see your public posts.
X updated its Help Center page over the weekend to explain how blocking now works on the site. While you can still block accounts, those accounts will now be able to see your posts unless you have made your account private. They won't, however, be able to reply to them or repost them. Blocked accounts also won't be able to follow you and you won't be able to follow them, as has been the case before the policy change.
In addition, if the owner of an account you blocked visits your profile on X, they will be able to learn that you have blocked them.
X indicated that the change was aimed at protecting users who have been blocked.
In a post on its Engineering account on the service, X said the blocking feature “can be used by users to share and hide harmful or private information about those they’ve blocked. Users will be able to see if such behavior occurs with this update, allowing for greater transparency.”
But critics say the changes could harm victims and survivors of abuse, for instance. Thomas Ristenpart, professor of computer security at Cornell Tech and co-founder of the Clinic to End Tech Abuse, said it can be critical for the safety of survivors of intimate-partner violence to be able to control who sees their posts.
“We often hear reports about posts to social media enabling abusers to stalk them or triggering further harassment,” he said. "Removing users’ ability to block problematic individuals will be a huge step backwards for survivor safety.”
Since he took over the former Twitter in 2022, Musk has loosened policies the platform had put in place to clamp down on hate and harassment. In moves often said to be made in the name of free speech, he dismantled the company's Trust and Safety advisory group and restored accounts that were previously banned for hate speech, harassment and spreading misinformation. When a nonprofit research group documented a rise of hate speech on the platform, X sued them. The lawsuit was dismissed.
FILE - Workers install lighting on an "X" sign atop the company headquarters, formerly known as Twitter, in downtown San Francisco, July 28, 2023. (AP Photo/Noah Berger, File)
NEW YORK (AP) — Bobby McMann scored twice, including the tiebreaking goal late in the third period, and the Toronto Maple Leafs beat the New York Islanders 2-1 on Thursday night.
Joseph Woll stopped 32 shots as the Maple Leafs topped the Islanders for the second time this week and won for the third time in four games.
Scott Mayfield scored for New York and Ilya Sorokin made 29 saves in the Islanders' third straight loss.
Islanders defenseman Adam Pelech was called for a tripping penalty which set up the power play that McMann and Toronto capitalized on to get the winning goal with 2:59 remaining.
The Islanders poured on the pressure in the final minutes but Woll preserved the Maple Leafs' win.
McMann opened the scoring at 10:43 of the second, and Mayfield tied it with 1:45 remaining in the period.
Islanders: Twenty-year-old Islanders defenseman Isaiah George left the game in the second period when he caught an elbow from Max Domi and did not return.
Maple Leafs: Toronto assistant coach Lane Lambert returned to UBS arena for the first time since being fired by the Islanders on Jan. 20, 2024. Lambert originally came to New York with Barry Trotz in 2018 and then took over behind the bench when Trotz was fired in 2022.
Mitch Marner gave his right-handed stick to left-handed defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson after his stick broke, but the Maple Leafs' defenseman was unable to clear the puck out of the defensive zone on his off hand. That turnover led to the Islanders scoring the tying goal late in the second period.
The Islanders allowed the opening goal for the 12th time in 14 games and are 5-8-1 in that span.
Toronto Maple Leafs' Max Domi (11) fights for control of the puck with New York Islanders' Bo Horvat (14) during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
Toronto Maple Leafs' Bobby McMann (74) celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the New York Islanders, Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
Toronto Maple Leafs' Bobby McMann (74) fights for control of the puck with New York Islanders' Pierre Engvall (18) during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Joseph Woll (60) celebrates with teammates after an NHL hockey game against the New York Islanders, Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
Toronto Maple Leafs' Max Pacioretty (67) and Mitch Marner (16) celebrate with teammates after a goal by Bobby McMann during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the New York Islanders, Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Joseph Woll (60) protects the net during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the New York Islanders, Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
Toronto Maple Leafs' Bobby McMann (74) celebrates after scoring a goal during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the New York Islanders, Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
