Privacy and Safety Guide for Users of X: Addressing Stalking Concerns
The recent updates to the blocking feature on X (formerly Twitter) have sparked significant concerns about user safety and privacy, particularly regarding stalking. These changes now permit blocked users to view posts but prevent them from engaging, such as liking, commenting, or sharing.
For many users, blocking is a feature that reduces harmful content either directed at them or visible to them that can have a violent impact on their lives. It reduces visibility of their life to people who may be monitoring their every move. Blocking has it's limitations, in some cases it is counterproductive, but ultimately it is an effective tool that should be built upon to reduce the negative impacts for more individuals experiencing online harms. Instead, the opposite is happening. This change may provide an easier way for fixated and obsessed stalkers to continue their stalking campaign.
Two years ago, Instagram made strides by providing the option to block other accounts they could identify that were made by the same person when blocking one account. At The Cyber Helpline, we hoped this would set the precedent for the future of social media company’s duty to protect their users. However, X’s recent announcement signifies the lack of a sense of responsibility that X holds towards users' safety.
This guide aims to provide practical steps for safeguarding your privacy on X to mitigate these concerns.
Understanding the Impact of Changes on X
Blocked users can now see your public posts, though they are unable to interact with them. This change might empower stalking perpetrators by providing them access to content without your consent, even after being blocked. To limit your exposure you need to make sure your posts are private to your followers.
Strategies to Protect Your Posts
To counter these changes and protect yourself from unwanted followers and potential stalkers:
Switch Posts to Protected Mode:
Go to your profile, then navigate to Settings and Privacy.
Select Privacy and Safety.
Choose Audience and Tagging and check the box next to Protect your posts.
Benefits:
Only approved followers can see your posts.
New followers must send a request, which you can approve or deny.
Review Your Follower List Regularly:
Regularly review your list of followers and remove anyone you do not recognize or trust.
This helps ensure that only trusted individuals have access to your posts, especially those shared before activating protected mode.
Be Cautious with Historical Posts:
Be aware that changing the privacy settings does not alter the visibility of past interactions, such as likes or comments on other public posts.
Consider reviewing past interactions that may give away personal preferences or locations.
Read more on How to protect and unprotect your posts on X.
Managing Location Sharing
Given that location data can be particularly sensitive:
Disable Precise Location:
Under Privacy and Safety, select Data Sharing and Off-X Activity.
Adjust Location Information settings to ensure your precise location isn't shared.
Avoid Using Location Tags in Your Posts:
When posting, you can choose not to tag your location to avoid giving away your current or frequent locations.
Read more on How to add your location to a Post on X.
Handling Unwanted Interactions
On top of The Cyber Helpline, there are a number of UK organisations that specialise in supporting stalking victims. Consider working with one of the following organisations to get the help and support you need.
Document the Behaviour: Keep records of any interactions that might be needed for reporting to authorities or for personal records.