7 Valid Reasons to Block Someone (#5 Will Shock You!)
Offenses in order from most to least severe
- They are openly bigoted.
- They post about topics that you find triggering or deeply uncomfortable.
- They aren’t a bad person but they don’t understand social cues, and you don’t have the extra kindness to deal with their missteps productively.
- They have a profile picture that’s upsetting to you and you’d rather not see it.
- They just bother you for no discernible reason.
- You have a knee jerk reaction of irritation when they talk, and you don't want to subject them to it.
- They have a typing quirk.
Now you might be thinking, okay... so it’s always valid to block someone?
No.
3 Invalid Reasons to Block Someone
- To piss them off.
- To get back at them for blocking you (spoiler alert: they don’t care).
- To hinder a line of communication that you are (socially, ethically, or legally) obligated to keep open.
Socializing online happens at a much higher magnitude than it does IRL. Blocks are not a digital restraining order, but a tool to reduce social friction. Utilize them.