Twitter Forced To Bring Back Original Block Feature After Hashtag #RestoreTheBlock Trended

If you felt stressed out by your Twitter account earlier today because of some weird changes, here is why.

Twitter decided to make some changes on its blocking functionality, which most users called "mute" feature. According to the company, the alteration was intended to protect good users from trollers.

"Twitter told CNET that the new policy was actually meant to help people from being trolled by those they've blocked. What Twitter had found was that when someone blocked another person, the blockee would often be upset when they would discover it, and would go on to troll the blocker in other ways, often aggressively."

In short, blocking someone means they can NEVER follow or interact with you again. That is like breaking up with your partner and burying him/her alive so he/she can never disturb you at all.

Good thing, the power of #hashtags never fails to voice out what the public really wants. Twitter got a taste of its own medicine.

Negative feedbacks outpoured on Twitter and users decided to use the #RestoreTheBlock to reach those who are responsible for the changes. After few hours, the internet revolt has lead to an emergency meeting between the microblogging service's top executives.

Quickly, Twitter respond to the backlash through a statement by VP of Product Michal Sippey posted in Twitter Blog. The official said that the company decided to revert the changes it has implemented earlier after an avalanche of negative feedbacks.

"In reverting this change to the block function, users will once again be able to tell that they've been blocked. We believe this is not ideal, largely due to the retaliation against blocking users by blocked users (and sometimes their friends) that often occurs. Some users worry just as much about post-blocking retaliation as they do about pre-blocking abuse. Moving forward, we will continue to explore features designed to protect users from abuse and prevent retaliation."