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Last week, Elon Musk commented on X (formerly Twitter) that the block feature was going to be removed, except for direct messages. The feature enables a user to block spam and harassment by restricting specific accounts from contacting them, viewing posts, or following their account. Online technology publication TechCrunch states that it’s also been used to block posts from X Blue/Twitter Premium accounts, as “the feature began to prioritize their responses over non-paying users.”
CivicScience has been closely following public response to the rebrand, finding that Twitter users were divided on the name change upon its announcement but skewed more favorable than unfavorable – favorability to continue using the platform is also higher among certain demographics, including men and Republican voters.
Gauging response to the potential removal of the block feature, new data suggest this move would be unpopular among nearly half of current users. A total of 48% of users say they would either use the X app less or stop using it altogether. More than one-quarter say they would stop using it. Interestingly, 15% say they would use the app more if the feature is removed.
Who is most likely to drop off? The CivicScience InsightStore uncovers noteworthy demographic differences in usage intent among the user base. The majority of women users (53%) would either quit or limit their time on the platform with removal of the block feature. Women are three points more likely than men to stop using X and four points more likely to say they would use the app less.
Likewise, more than half of Gen Z users (57%) report they would do the same, with 28% saying they would stop using X entirely. X users aged 35-54 are the most likely to remain unaffected by the potential change.
The ability to utilize the block feature appears to be an important factor for many users. However, Musk has stated that the feature is not actually beneficial while it’s proposed that the block-like functionality could be replaced by a stronger form of the current mute function, which hides Tweets from certain users.
Stay ahead of how consumers are responding to the latest developments in social media – get in touch to learn more about the CivicScience InsightStore.
