Elon Musk is preparing to take on Meta once again with the launch of another polarising Twitter feature.
Audio and video calls will soon be available on the newly named ‘X’, as the tech titan seeks to make his platform the go-to ‘global address book’.
While this move puts X in line with Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram, a cybersecurity expert has warned that serious questions surround its safety.
This comes amid plans to axe X’s ‘block’ feature, despite the troubling risk of stalkers, scammers and spammers.
‘Video & audio calls coming to X,’ Musk wrote this morning.
Audio and video calls will soon be available on the newly named X, as Elon Musk seeks to make his platform the go-to ‘global address book’
READ MORE: Elon Musk will axe ‘block’ feature from X despite fears
The current owner of X (formerly Twitter), billionaire Tesla chief Elon Musk, announced he intends to remove users’ ability to ‘block’ other users across every aspect of the microblogging site, except for ‘direct messages.’ The statement caused a flurry of debate on the platform
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‘Works on iOS, Android, Mac & PC, No phone number needed, X is the effective global address book. That set of factors is unique.’
It’s been almost two weeks since Musk announced his intentions to remove the blocking function from every aspect of X aside from direct messaging.
While this has not yet come to fruition, it could mean that users will not be able to limit who they interact with online.
This was met with floods of concern from X users, with many fearful of harassment and scams.
And this may only worsen, as Jake Moore, a Global Cybersecurity Advisor at ESET, warns that unsolicited calls may be on the horizon.
‘It seems Musk has once again got an idea in his head but not yet planned it through completely,’ Mr Moore told MailOnline.
‘Calling other profiles via social media apps such as Instagram already exists so it’s not too dissimilar to this as a feature.
‘However, when removing the blocking of followers as a feature, X will need to adopt a way of keeping unsolicited calls from reaching users wanting to remain private.’
Numerous X users have also commented on these uncertainties, replying to Musk’s earlier post with worries of their own.
The polarising move comes just as Elon Musk announced plans to axe its blocking feature
Meta’s WhatsApp, Facebook and Instagram also have calling functions installed
Unsolicited phone calls and a lack of privacy may be a problem with Musk’s new development
‘Please make sure there are privacy options to stop randoms from calling us. Even if I follow someone it doesn’t mean I want them to be able to call me,’ one user said.
Another joked: ‘If my phone started ringing and I saw it was from Twitter I would immediately toss it into the nearest pond,’ as someone else added: ‘Surely now you cannot remove the “block” feature.’
Mr Moore adds that users may need to follow each other first in order for the feature to work effectively.
‘Users will potentially need to follow each other for this feature to work but they will still need to screen their address book for possible spam and scam calls,’ he said.
MailOnline has approached X for comment.
