This is something that I have two differing perspectives of that sort of war with each other, so I would love to hear some other opinions to see what others think on this idea.
So. It's in my understanding that when a user has blocked someone, going to that account gives you a screen that very directly says "This user has blocked you". Which, lovely! We love directness.
However— I've been on the internet for a long time, and if there's one thing that I've learned in that time, it's that there are some nutty and obsessive people, and that those people can get a little... fixated when they know they've been blocked.
On one hand, blocking should never be considered a social faux-pas, and honestly I feel like even casual blocking should be normalized. On the other hand, I've seen many instances of stalking, account hopping, and all kinds of other nasty behaviors as a result of blocking.
Anyway. All this is to say that it might be an idea to, instead of having a direct "blocked" screen, having a standard Account Not Found wall. Block evasion and targeted harassment are unfortunately very common on social media, and this could help at least reduce those chances. Of course, logged-out viewing or alt accounts might still bypass this, but hiding the immediate 'You Are Blocked' wall still acts as a great first line of defense to de-escalate tension.
But! Like I said, there are a lot of different variables to that and I know others might even have more perspectives than what I've already considered. It's a pretty tricky subject! Hell, I know there are probably some people who are thrilled to have a more direct "you are blocked" screen because it offers answers and closure. So there's a lot to consider! I'd love to hear thoughts and ideas from you guys! ^_^
