Block Party (company)
 | |
Type of site | Privacy and security |
|---|---|
| Available in | English |
| Founded | 2018 |
| Created by | Tracy Chou |
| Founder(s) | Tracy Chou |
| CEO | Tracy Chou |
| URL | blockpartyapp |
Block Party is a company that provides a browser plugin to guide users in tweaking their privacy settings on various social media platforms, with an emphasis on helping users protect themselves from harassment.[1] It was founded by software engineer and tech entrepreneur Tracy Chou, who currently serves as the company's CEO.[2]
History
[edit]For years, Chou worked in tech companies like Facebook, Pinterest, and Quora where, among developing software, she also became an advocate for diversity and sought to improve product design for marginalized, underrepresented communities.[3]
Chou then founded Block Party in 2018 after having found it difficult to optimize privacy and security settings to one's liking in a litany of social media platforms, as well as after having facing harassment as a woman of color online.[4][5] As a result, she sought to create an app that would help users optimize their experiences online. Early versions of Block Party were specifically focused on doing so on Twitter.[6] By 2021, when Chou launched the app, Block Party raised nearly $1.5 million in funding after a pre-seed round, as well as individual backing by Ellen Pao, Alexia Bonatsos, and other investors.[7][8] By 2022, it raised nearly $5 million.[9]
However, Block Party's strategy changed in wake of Elon Musk's changes to Twitter's API upon his assumption leadership. In 2023, Twitter specifically asked Block Party for $42,000 a month for access to its data, which caused the latter to pivot toward creating a browser plugin—for Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, and Firefox—that walks users through how to optimize their privacy and security settings on a variety of different apps.[6][10]
Compatibility
[edit]Block Party is currently compatible with the following services:[11]
References
[edit]- ^ "Top 10 Lessons from Tracy Chou, Founder of Block Party, to FIX Online Harassment in 2025". www.femaleswitch.com. Retrieved 2025-07-02.
- ^ Patja, Jen; Douek, Evelyn; Jurecic, Quinta; Chou, Tracy (2023-01-18). "The Lawfare Podcast: Is Block Party the Future of Content Moderation?". Lawfare.
- ^ "Block Party founder Tracy Chou is building privacy tools that combat online harassment | 1Password". 1Password Blog. 2024-09-04. Retrieved 2025-07-02.
- ^ Bond, Shannon (2021-02-23). "Block Party Aims To Be A 'Spam Folder' For Social Media Harassment". NPR. Retrieved 2025-07-02.
- ^ "Tracy Chou built a startup to "deep clean" your socials". Freethink. 2024-11-16. Retrieved 2025-07-02.
- ^ a b Melendez, Steven (2025-03-14). "Block Party offers tool for optimizing social media privacy". Fast Company.
- ^ Dickey, Megan Rose (2021-01-15). "Tracy Chou launches Block Party to combat online harassment and abuse". TechCrunch. Retrieved 2025-07-02.
- ^ Perrigo, Billy (2022-03-03). "Social Media Platforms Failed to Tackle Abuse. So Tracy Chou Stepped In". TIME. Retrieved 2025-07-02.
- ^ Hale, James (2022-09-23). "Block Party raises $4.8 million to beat Twitter trolls". Tubefilter. Retrieved 2025-07-02.
- ^ Perrigo, Billy (2023-06-02). "Her App Blocked Harassment On Twitter. Elon Musk Killed It". TIME. Retrieved 2025-07-02.
- ^ Barr, Kyle (2025-06-13). "As Trump Comes for Your Social Media, It's Time You Consider What's Worth Sharing". Gizmodo. Retrieved 2025-07-02.