The hashtag #BlockElon became a trending topic on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday after CEO Elon Musk confirmed his plans to modify the platform’s block feature. The trend emerged following a post from independent app researcher Nima Owji, who revealed that X is planning to remove the block button, making posts visible to blocked users. Musk confirmed the news in a reply, stating, “The block function will block that account from engaging with, but not block seeing, public post.”
The announcement sparked widespread backlash, with users raising concerns about privacy and safety, particularly for those who rely on the block feature to prevent harassment. One user, @PaintressApril, expressed concerns, writing, “Not a good move for females who have stalkers.” Another user, @Ceceliaism, added, “Any roadblock, even a small one, is better than none.”
The hashtag #BlockElon quickly gained traction, with parody account @theliamnissan urging users to amplify the tag, tweeting, “It’d be a real goddamn shame if #BlockElon started trending today.” Within hours, #BlockElon reached the top of the trending topics, much to the amusement of Musk’s detractors. User @BreakingNews4X noted, “That #BlockElon is #2 trending on his own site has me rolling.”
Despite the trending hashtag, X has yet to announce when the changes to the block feature will take effect. Musk has not publicly responded to the trending hashtag.
