Quick Answer
In most cases, yes, a blocked person can still see past conversations even after being blocked. The key factors are:
- Blocking someone prevents future messages, but does not delete existing messages.
- The specific platform and blocking settings determine what past messages remain visible.
- On platforms like Facebook, blocking prevents seeing new posts but does not remove connections or past conversations.
- Full blocking that removes past chats is possible on private messaging apps like WhatsApp if done by both parties.
So while blocking limits future interactions, previous conversations generally remain visible unless users take additional steps to delete chats or remove connections entirely. The platform and type of blocking impact what exactly remains visible.
Does Blocking Delete Past Conversations?
Blocking someone on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or LinkedIn does not automatically delete any previous messages, chats, comments or posts with that person.
Here is an overview of what remains visible after blocking on some major platforms:
Facebook and Messenger
When you block someone on Facebook, they can still see all past conversations and comments you’ve exchanged. Your posts also remain visible unless you’ve excluded them specifically. You simply won’t see new posts from a blocked person.
On Messenger, blocking prevents new messages but does not remove old messages or delete the conversation history. The blocked person can still read through past chats.
Blocking on Instagram stops someone from viewing your posts or contacting you. But it does not remove existing comments or delete your chat history in Direct messages. The blocked user can still see conversations that happened before they were blocked.
Blocking stops new interactions but the blocked person can still view your Twitter profile and read old tweets and replies between you. Past conversations remain visible.
Blocking on LinkedIn only limits further connection, just like other platforms. Previous exchanges via comments or messages remain intact and viewable.
So across most major platforms, social media blocking essentially prevents future posting and messaging without removing past history. For a full break, additional steps need to be taken.
When Is Past Chat History Deleted?
There are some cases where blocking can erase past conversations and disconnect more completely:
- Private messaging apps – On WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal and other private chat apps, blocking deletes chat history if both parties block each other. If only one person blocks, past chats remain visible.
- Removing connections – On Facebook and LinkedIn, you can delete connections to fully remove access to your profile and past exchanges. This is more complete than just blocking.
- Deleting messages yourself – You can manually delete old messages and posts to clear history and prevent access to past chats.
So blocking alone limits interactions but full removal of chat history requires muting both sides, removing connections, or manual deletion.
Why Past Conversations Remain Visible
There are a few reasons why simple social media blocking does not wipe out existing conversations and connections:
- Technical limitations – Deleting chat history retroactively is complex, especially with large platforms.
- User expectations – People expect blocking to only limit future interactions, not erase chat history entirely.
- Context – Past conversations provide context that may still be relevant, even if users block each other.
- Privacy – Erasure might violate privacy rights depending on the laws and jurisdiction.
Due to these factors, most platforms opt to restrict ongoing access instead of attempting to rewrite history. Only a mutual and complete blocking can fully delete past chats in some cases.
How You Can Delete Past Conversations
If you want to remove existing conversations after blocking someone, here are some steps you can take:
Social Media Platforms
| Platform | Delete Past Conversations |
|---|---|
| Manually delete old messages and posts | |
| Delete messages in Direct chat history | |
| Use a deletion tool or service to erase tweets | |
| Manually remove comments and messages |
Messaging Apps
| App | Delete Chats |
|---|---|
| Block user on both sides | |
| Telegram | Block and delete chat on your end |
| Signal | Blocking deletes history from both sides |
So while blocking alone limits visibility of new content, you’ll need to take additional steps like manually removing messages or blocking two-way to fully delete existing conversations and history.
Prevent Future Access with Blocking
While past conversations often remain visible after blocking someone, this action does prevent any future exchanges or access to new content. Key effects of blocking include:
- Stops new messages and chats
- Prevents viewing posts, tweets, or updates
- Removes tagging abilities and notifications
- Limits profile viewing in some cases
- Restricts sending friend/connection requests
So even if previous chats aren’t deleted, blocking still achieves the goal of preventing unwanted ongoing contact in the future. And over time, those past messages become less relevant as new interactions cease.
Other Options Beyond Blocking
In addition to blocking, you can take other steps to manage interactions online:
- Unfriend or unfollow – This stops seeing someone’s posts without formally blocking.
- Adjust privacy settings – Limit who can see your profile content and interactions.
- Report abuse – If someone is harassing you, report them to the platform.
- Delete account – Deactivating accounts can provide a clean break on some services.
Using a combination of blocking, privacy controls, and deleting existing messages can help prevent ongoing unwanted interactions. But in most cases, previous chat history remains intact after blocking alone.
Conclusion
Blocking someone online does not automatically erase or delete previous conversations and interactions in most cases. While it prevents unwanted future contact, existing chat history, comments, and posts typically remain visible to a blocked person. Only by blocking on both sides, removing connections entirely, or manually deleting past messages can a full removal of previous chats be achieved. But blocking remains an effective option to limit future harassment or unwanted exchanges moving forward, even if past ones remain.