On social media, blocking someone is the ultimate passive aggressive act. That's because even though blocking is considered secretive — no notifications are sent as a signal — it's incredibly easy to figure out if someone has blocked you. There is minimal sleuthing required: It wouldn't even be enough to fill a half-hour mystery show, let alone 15 minutes of one.
Plus, in most cases, it's pretty easy to get a sense of when someone might block you — after a break-up, a fight with a friend, or an insensitive post.
For those times when you harbour a blocking suspicion, but want to confirm it, this guide to all your social media apps should help. It does not, however, promise to get you unblocked. Those are amends you'll have to make on your own.
Instagram
You never receive any notification alerting you when someone has blocked you on Instagram. However, you will not be able to find the profile, posts, or Story of the user who blocked you. So, if you're wondering if you've been blocked, search for the account in question on your phone and then using a friend's phone. If you see them on your friend's phone but not yours, you have your answer. Alternatively, if you don't want to involve a friend, you can create a second Instagram account and search for them that way.
Another clear sign of a block: If you can't see the person's account but you can see their comments or likes on posts from accounts you both follow. (These don't disappear just because that person has blocked you.)
If you want to block or unblock someone on Instagram, simply go to their profile > Settings > Block or Unblock.
Facebook
Blocking someone on Facebook is different than unfriending them: They will no longer be able to see your profile or send you a friend request or message.
As with Instagram, the person who is blocked does not receive any notification. However, you can tell you have been blocked if you don't see someone's profile when you search for it on your account, but can see it when you search from a friend's account. When you are blocked, you will not see posts from the person who blocked you when they write on a mutual friend's profile.
To block someone on Facebook, head to Settings > Blocking > Search for the profile of the person you want to block > Block. Return to that same section to unblock someone.
Twitter
Twitter makes it even easier to know when you have been blocked: Although you will not receive a notification, you will see a message letting you know you have been blocked when you try to visit the timeline of someone who has blocked you. So, if you have your suspicions, simply go to the account to confirm or disprove them.
If you're the one doing the blocking or unblocking, go to someone's profile > Menu > Block. To unblock them, go to their profile > tap Blocked > Unblock.
Snapchat
If you find yourself suddenly unable to send a friend Snaps or Chat messages, consider yourself blocked. There is always the off chance that the person has deleted their account entirely, but as with Instagram and Facebook, a simple search for their profile from a friend's account or a second Snapchat account should give you your answer.
To block someone on Snapchat, go to an existing chat with them or open a new one. Tap Menu > Block friend. To unblock them, go to your Settings > Blocked > Tap the "X" besides their name.