Famous former Democratic White House intern and anti-cyberbullying activist Monica Lewinsky reached out to X owner Elon Musk on Tuesday. Lewinsky wrote: “Please bring the block button back, Elon Musk. It’s such an important tool for mental health when on social media.”
Venture capitalist Eric Bahn replied, “is mute not enough?” to which Lewinsky replied, “psychologically/energetically, no.”
[NOTE: The PEN America Center, in its harassment manual, advises that: “Muting, hiding or restricting can provide good alternatives to blocking because abusers do not know that they’ve been muted, hidden, or restricted.”]
please bring the block button back @elonmusk. it’s such an important tool for mental health when on social media.
— Monica Lewinsky (she/her) (@MonicaLewinsky) July 3, 2024
Whether or not Musk plans to respond to Lewinsky publicly remains a mystery so far, but one of Lewinsky’s followers did reply with clear instructions. She wrote: “if you hold down the person’s profile pic (on mobile) a menu will come up and blocking is one of the options (pic just for demonstration I would never block you!).”
Lewinsky replied, “gotcha. thank you!”
Another follower replied to Lewinsky: “blocking is working for me…I have blocked hundreds and hundreds. It’s like a wonderful bigot-be-gone spray.” Lewinsky suggested that the blocker trademark the phrase, replying “you should TM that” with a laughing crying emoji.
Of course not everyone was supportive of Lewinsky’s desire to block. When one wrote, “blocking is for the weak,” Lewinsky replied that “blocking is an act of self-care. especially when people haven’t updated their jokes in 26 years.” (Not coincidentally, 26 years ago is when the then-twentysomething Lewinsky found unwanted fame as part of the scandal that led to President Bill Clinton’s impeachment.)
PLZ VOTE!!! @votedotorg
🩵 pic.twitter.com/J001mfnlk1
— Monica Lewinsky (she/her) (@MonicaLewinsky) March 5, 2024
Despite her cautions around social media, Lewinsky isn’t an online wallflower. Above is a photo of Lewinsky encouraging her fans to vote. Liberal political commentator and Vanity Fair writer Molly Jong-Fast, commented: “gorgeous friend.”