Categories: Apps

Every Twitter User Can Now ‘Soft Block’ Annoying Followers

Reading Time: < 1 minute

Twitter is introducing a new tool that allows any web user to remove a following without blocking them, a process known as a “soft block.”

To gently block a follower, go to your profile, select followers, click the three-dot menu next to a follower, and then choose “Remove this follower” from the drop-down menu. (An image from Twitter at the top of this piece shows what that option looks like.) You will not be notified if you remove the following.

A soft block differs from a block in that it lets users to read your tweets and direct message you while preventing them from appearing in your feed. However, if you remove a follower, they can re-follow you if they wish.

If you don’t want to do a full block but want to free up some space from another user, this function can be handy. This new Twitter technique is a little more user-friendly than the previous one, which required you to manually block and unblock people.

Twitter’s latest feature, the option to remove a follower, aims to give users greater control over their experience on the network while also reducing abuse and harassment. In September, the business began testing a new Safety Mode function that automatically removes abusive accounts for a period of time, though it’s unclear when it will become more generally available.