What Happens When You Block Someone on TikTok?
Blocking someone on TikTok has a few key effects:
First, when you block another user, they can no longer view your TikTok profile or any of the content you post. Your videos, comments, likes, and profile details will all be hidden from their view.
Similarly, when you block someone, their profile and content will no longer be visible to you. Their videos and comments will disappear from your For You feed, and you won’t be able to visit their profile page.
Essentially, blocking creates a one-way privacy barrier between you and the other user. It severs the connection in both directions so that neither person can view what the other is posting on TikTok (1).
Does Blocking Remove a User’s Follow?
When you block someone on TikTok, it does not automatically unfollow them. Blocking prevents you from viewing that user’s profile or content, and prevents them from contacting you. However, they will remain one of your followers unless you also choose to unfollow them.
According to TikTok’s help documentation, blocking only restricts interactions between you and the blocked user. It does not affect your follow status with them. You need to manually unfollow a user if you want to remove them from your followers list after blocking (source).
So in summary, blocking alone does not unfollow someone or remove them as one of your followers on TikTok. The block prevents interactions in both directions, but does not change your mutual follow status.
How to Unfollow After Blocking
If you blocked someone on TikTok but still want to unfollow them, you can manually locate and remove them from your Following list.
Here are the steps to unfollow someone after blocking them on TikTok:
- Go to your profile and tap on “Following” to view the full list of accounts you currently follow.
- Scroll through your Following list until you locate the blocked user’s profile.
- Tap on the “Following” button below their name – this will unfollow their account.
- You can double check that you no longer follow them by going back to your Following list.
The user will remain blocked, but you will no longer be following their account after completing these steps. Unfollowing them removes their content from your For You feed.
Why You May Want to Unfollow
There are a few key reasons you may decide to unfollow someone on TikTok after initially blocking them:
Freeing up a Following slot – Every TikTok user is limited in how many accounts they can follow. Unfollowing someone after blocking frees up one of your valuable following slots to use on another account.
Removing unwanted followers – If you blocked someone because you don’t want them viewing your content anymore, unfollowing ensures they will no longer show up as a follower.
Cleaning up your social circle – Over time, your interests may change and some accounts no longer provide value. Unfollowing can help refine your feed and connections.
As social media expert Olivia Bossert notes, “Do you ever stop and unfollow people who are cluttering up your social media profiles? Here is why you should.” Unfollowing after blocking can help remove accounts that are no longer useful or relevant (source).
Considerations Before Unfollowing
Before unfollowing someone after blocking them on TikTok, it’s important to think through your goals and motivations. According to an article on Headspace, “Well-publicized cases of being unfollowed on social media seem to suggest that the person who was unfollowed must have been boring, annoying or doing something wrong, but that’s not always the case. Often, the decision to unfollow is more about the person doing the unfollowing than the unfollowed” (source). Here are some key considerations:
Will blocking alone achieve your goals? If you are trying to stop seeing someone’s content or prevent them from interacting with you, blocking may be sufficient without unfollowing. According to Reddit users, it can be “healthier to try and move on” from relationships by limiting interactions, rather than escalating social media drama by unfollowing.
Is completely removing them necessary? As Quora users point out, “if they are a close friend, it’d probably be best to talk about it with them” before unfollowing. With acquaintances, unfollowing may be less impactful. Think through whether a “nuclear option” is needed.
Will it start drama or issues? Unfollowing can sometimes create unintended social consequences. Per Reddit, while social media actions can feel impersonal, unfollowing may be perceived as an escalation, retaliation, or passive aggression by the other person. It’s wise to think through potential perceptions before acting.
By considering your goals and the context, you can thoughtfully weigh the tradeoffs of unfollowing on TikTok after blocking.
Who Can See Your Followers List?
By default, your followers list on TikTok is private, meaning only you can see the full list of accounts that follow you. This protects your privacy by limiting who can see information about your followers. According to TikTok’s Safety and Security guide, the followers list is “visible only to the account holder.”
However, you do have options to make your followers list public if desired. In your TikTok settings under “Privacy,” you can choose to allow “Everyone” or “People You Follow Back” to view your followers. This will open up your follower information to more users on TikTok. The official TikTok support article outlines the different options in detail.
So in summary, TikTok keeps your followers list private by default, but provides configuration options if you want to make it more publicly visible.
How to Make Your Followers List Private
Making your followers list private on TikTok is a simple process that helps prevent unwanted attention from your followers. Here are the steps to ensure your following list stays private:
1. Open the TikTok app and go to your profile page. Tap on the three-dot menu icon in the upper right corner.
2. Select “Privacy and safety” from the menu options. This will open your privacy settings.
3. Under “Privacy”, toggle the switch next to “Private account” on. This prevents anyone from seeing your followers or who you are following unless you approve them as a friend.
4. Double check that “Who can view your follower list?” is set to “No One”. This ensures your followers list is completely private.
5. Tap “Save” to confirm the changes. Your followers list will now be hidden from everyone except you.
Keeping your followers list private is recommended to avoid unwanted attention and messages from strangers following you. It also gives you control over who can see your social connections on TikTok.
Pros of a Private List
One of the main benefits of having a private followers list on TikTok is increased privacy and security. When your list is private, only people you approve can see your content and interact with you. This prevents random strangers, bots, or creepy accounts from accessing your profile and videos without your consent.
Going private can also help avoid awkwardness if you ever need to unfollow someone. Rather than publicly removing them as a follower, a private account allows you to quietly prune your list without the other user being notified. This reduces potential hurt feelings or drama if you want to unfollow an account but maintain a polite real-world relationship.
Finally, a private followers list cuts down on unwelcome communication and notifications. You’ll only get comments, messages, and @ mentions from accounts you know and trust instead of random users stumbling upon your profile. This helps declutter your notifications and focus attention on people you genuinely want to engage with.
According to a HootSuite article, brands on Instagram have seen increased engagement after going private by cultivating a selective base of followers aligned with their goals and interests.
Cons of a Private List
Making your followers list private on TikTok comes with some downsides to consider. One major con is reduced social proof. Having a public and robust number of followers acts as social proof that you are a popular or reputable account others want to follow. This social proof effect can help attract new followers, who want to join the crowd and subscribe to accounts deemed worthy of a large following. By making your list private, you lose this social proof and the follower growth that comes with it.
Additionally, a private followers list makes it harder to find and connect with friends. Friends looking to follow you may not be able to easily locate your account if they can’t browse your followers or following lists. A private list reduces your discoverability, hindering friend connections.
Lastly, a private list gives you less ability to gain followers in general. New users won’t be able to find you as easily without access to your followers or following lists. While a private list does provide more exclusivity in who can follow you, it also significantly limits your ability to be discovered by those you might wish to allow to follow you. This tradeoff results in fewer new followers over time.
Weighing the Tradeoffs
When deciding whether to make your TikTok followers list private or public, it’s important to weigh the tradeoffs and consider what matters most to you.
On the one hand, a private list allows you to be more selective about who can see your followers and follow you back. This gives you more control over your audience and potential interactions. However, it also decreases your visibility and potential for gaining new, organic followers. According to blogs.jobget.com, “If you possess a private account and comment on a friends’ photo who is also private, the comment is still public to your friends’ followers.”
On the other hand, leaving your list public increases the chances of growing your follower count, since your profile is more discoverable. But this also opens you up to unwanted attention from strangers, spammers, or harassers. As followscom notes, some prefer private accounts to “keep their profile private so they can be selective about their followers.”
Ultimately, deciding between a private or public followers list depends on your goals and comfort level. If growing an audience quickly is the priority, public may work better. But if controlling interactions is more important, private is likely the way to go. You can also start private and switch to public later. The key is tailoring your privacy settings to your needs and reevaluating as those needs change.
