block_user

Block a user to prevent all interactions.

Authentication

Required: Yes (Private tool)

Parameters

actor (required)

• Type: string
• Description: User identifier (DID or handle) to block

Response

{
  success: boolean;
  message: string;
  blockUri: string;
  blockedUser: {
    did: string;
    handle?: string;
  }
}

Examples

Block a User

{
  "actor": "harasser.bsky.social"
}

Response:

{
  "success": true,
  "message": "User blocked successfully",
  "blockUri": "at://did:plc:myuser/app.bsky.graph.block/block123",
  "blockedUser": {
    "did": "did:plc:abc123xyz789",
    "handle": "harasser.bsky.social"
  }
}

What Blocking Does

Complete Separation

• Blocked user cannot see your posts
• You cannot see blocked user's posts
• Blocked user cannot reply to your posts
• Blocked user cannot follow you
• Existing follow relationships are removed
• All interactions are prevented

Visibility

• Blocked user may notice they're blocked
• Attempts to view your profile show "blocked" message
• Attempts to interact fail with block error

Error Handling

Common Errors

Invalid Actor

{
  "error": "Actor (DID or handle) is required",
  "code": "VALIDATION_ERROR"
}

User Not Found

{
  "error": "User not found",
  "code": "NOT_FOUND"
}

Already Blocked

{
  "success": true,
  "message": "User was already blocked",
  "blockUri": "at://did:plc:myuser/app.bsky.graph.block/block123"
}

Cannot Block Self

{
  "error": "Cannot block yourself",
  "code": "INVALID_OPERATION"
}

Best Practices

When to Block

• Harassment or abuse
• Spam or bot accounts
• Severe policy violations
• Safety concerns

Block vs Mute

• Block: Complete separation, user aware, severe
• Mute: Soft filter, user unaware, temporary

User Experience

• Confirm block action with user
• Explain blocking consequences
• Provide easy unblock option
• Show blocked users list

Safety

• Block immediately for safety concerns
• Report serious violations
• Document harassment patterns
• Consider platform-level reporting

Related Tools

• unblock_user - Unblock a user
• mute_user - Mute a user (softer option)
• report_user - Report a user for violations

See Also

• Moderation Guide
• Safety Best Practices