Everyone makes a different decision when it comes to whom to block and/or report on Twitter and other social media sites. That is unless you're an elected official who conducts business on Twitter, then it is illegal to block people from your Twitter account as the courts recently let President Trump know.
To block or not depends on how you intend to use Twitter. While it's good to learn about entertain many view points and it is also good to have your ideas challenged since that helps you to better define and target your ideas, beliefs, and opinions, I don't think it's positive to invite rude and disrespectful commentary on social media. Who needs that?
Now there's a continuum when it comes to what people define as rude or disrespectful, and what one person determines is impolite, another may find acceptable. So there will be some play there, however, for me, rude and disrespectful includes derogatory statements, lies, name calling, swears, and inappropriate images. For example when images of women are shared that are disrespectful, I block and sometimes report those people. Similarly when unkind images are posted, I also mostly block those people and when people swear, project unkind descriptions/actions, and are outright rude, I block and sometimes report.
I generally check a person's profile before reporting. If the remark is truly slanderous and hurtful, I'll report, but if it's a simple put-down, I'll just block. If a person's account is suspicious with little or no links to better understand who the person is, I'll generally block and report--who needs a social media thread full of bots, trolls, and other misleading folk whose aim is not to share, but to mislead or manipulate.
A friend notes that social media is like Main Street--it's a public space, and there's all kinds of people there. You have to be attuned about who is there and make your own rules about what's acceptable and not acceptable. I don't want to give up social media because of a few or many bad apples since there are many really great people on social media sharing all kinds of terrific information, information that can help you to make good choices about what you do, where you go, and whom you learn from--this information is invaluable to so much of what we do in our personal and professional lives. But there's no need to infect your mind with poor commentary, rude remarks, lies, exaggeration, name calling and more. There's room for civil discourse, debate, and disagreement, but not disrespect, slander, and hate.
Who do you block and/or report on social media and why? This is a good topic to think about if you decide to take part in or continue to travel this virtual Main Street.
