Blocking users on social media essentially erases them from your online space. They won’t be able to see your content or interact in any way with you on the Internet, whether it is messaging, sending you invitations, commenting on your photos and videos, or viewing other information on your profile.
It’s also a good way to get rid of your feed clutter when you feel like mute people on Facebook and Instagram is no longer enough. There are several reasons why you might want to block someone on Instagram or Facebook, and there are several different ways to do this.
Why are you blocking someone on Facebook or Instagram?
You can block someone online if you think they are stalking you. Whether it’s your ex or someone you’ve never met in real life, blocking them will limit their access to your personal information.
Online bullying, harassment, and cyber attacks can be another reason for blocking users. You can use it to protect yourself from unwanted attention and evil intentions.
The most common reason to block someone on Facebook or Instagram is a real fight between friends or even family members. This often results in each other being removed from friends on Facebook, Instagram and other social networks.
However, a user who has no friends (or is not subscribed) can still see any publicly available content or information about you online. Blocking a user will completely sever all your online communications with them and ensure that both of you are protecting your privacy.
How to block someone on Facebook
On Facebook, you can block any other user. It doesn’t matter if they are on your friend list, if they follow you, or there is no connection between the two of you. Anyone you block will not receive a notification about this.
The only way to know that you’ve blocked them is to search your Facebook profile. They will no longer be able to send you messages, friend requests, or view your messages.
Block Facebook users on your computer
To block someone on Facebook using your computer, follow these steps:
- Open Facebook in your browser.
- Go to the Facebook profile of the person you want to block. Find them in your friends list or enter their Facebook name in the search bar.
- In their profile, click the three dots next to the Message button.
- From the pop-up menu, choose Block.
- You will be asked to confirm your decision to block the user. Click “Block†again to confirm.
Block Facebook users on your smartphone
To block someone using your phone, follow these steps:
- Open the Facebook app on your smartphone.
- Go to the profile page of the person you want to block.
- In their profile, click the button with three dots on the right side of the screen. This will open the profile settings menu.
- From the menu, select Lock.
- On the next page, you will be asked to confirm your decision to block the user. Click Block again.
Block someone on Facebook Messenger
You also have the option to block someone on Facebook Messenger. To do this, do the following:
- Open Messenger on your smartphone or tablet.
- Open a chat with the person you want to block.
- In the upper right corner, click the info icon to go to their profile.
- Scroll down to the “Privacy” section and select “Block”.
- You will have two options to choose from: you can block the user only on Messenger, or also block them on Facebook. Choose the option that suits you best.
How to unblock someone on Facebook
If you have accidentally blocked someone on Facebook, or decide to unblock someone after a while, you can do so through the block list in the app.
To find the list, go to the Facebook app. In the upper right corner, click the down arrow and find the Settings & Privacy menu.
From there select “Settings”.
You will find the block list on the left side of the menu. Scroll down the list, find the user you want to unblock and select Unblock to restore their access to your Facebook profile.
How to block someone on Instagram
Since Facebook and Instagram are linked in more than one way, you can block the same person on both networks. You can block someone on Instagram using your smartphone app and web browser.
Block Instagram users on your phone
- Open the Instagram app and find the profile of the user you want to block.
Block Instagram users on your phone
- Open the Instagram app and locate the user profile you want to block.
- In the upper right corner, click the menu button with three vertical dots.
- Select Block from the pop-up menu.
- On the next page, you will see a warning asking you to confirm if you want to block this Instagram user. Click “Block†again to confirm.
Block Instagram users on your computer
If you are using Instagram on your computer, you can block the user through a web browser. To do this, follow these steps:
- Open the Instagram website in your browser.
- Go to the profile of the user you want to block.
- Find the button with three dots at the top of their profile page and click it.
- From the pop-up menu, select Block this user.
- You will see a warning asking you to confirm if you want to block this Instagram user. Click “Block†again to confirm.
How to unblock someone on Instagram
If you’ve accidentally blocked someone on Instagram and want to cancel it, there are two ways to do it.
You can do this by simply going to their profile and clicking the “Unblock” button.
Alternatively, you can unblock users by looking at the blocked Instagram accounts list.
To do this, go to your Instagram profile and click the menu button in the upper right corner. Then go to Settings> Privacy> Blocked Accounts.
From the list, select the users you want to unblock and click on their Instagram name. Users will not receive notifications when you block or unblock them on Instagram.
Protect your privacy online
If, after you’ve blocked someone on Facebook or Instagram, you’re still worried that they might access your personal information, consider taking it a step further by deleting your Facebook data and Instagram posts en masse, or even deleting your social media accounts.
Have you ever blocked people on social media? Do you find it effective? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.
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