“I’ll Block for This”: Ripple’s Schwartz Sets Reply Rules

David Schwartz, known on X as JoelKatz and one of the original architects of the XRP Ledger, has begun blocking accounts that insert crypto-related comments or accusations into his non-crypto conversations.

Schwartz explained that a growing number of people are responding to his replies on unrelated topics with crypto content or insults. When that happens, the people he is talking to end up with their followers seeing the off-topic posts.

He described the pattern as forcing those users into a choice: either tolerate the spam or block him. To avoid that outcome, he has started blocking the accounts responsible.

A significant share of the posts, he noted, accuse him of fraud or scamming. He stated he will block this behavior regardless of whether the comment is framed as XRP criticism or praise.

Schwartz drew a distinction between relevant criticism and irrelevant spam. He wrote that he does not mind people criticizing him or accusing him of wrongdoing, provided the posts contain actual content and avoid simple slurs.

The condition is placement: such comments should appear in the critic’s own threads or in replies to his posts where the topic has at least some relevance.

What he said he will not tolerate is users following him across X specifically to insert “scammer” or even positive XRP comments into conversations that have nothing to do with crypto. Those replies, he argued, anger the people whose threads are being used.

For anyone already blocked under this policy, Schwartz left an opening. He said that if the person promises not to repeat the behavior and finds a way to get his attention, he will unblock them.

The offer stands even if the user continues to strongly dislike him. The stated limit is simple: do not use his replies to spam other people’s followers.

Some replies eagerly pushed back, arguing that frustration with Ripple’s performance or past expectations justified the critical comments. Others framed the blocks as an attempt to avoid accountability.

Schwartz’s post itself focused on the practical problem of irrelevant replies landing in other users’ timelines rather than on any broader debate about XRP or Ripple.

The new policy amounts to a clear boundary on where and how he is willing to engage on the platform. Criticism remains acceptable in relevant spaces. Off-topic insertions into unrelated conversations, whether hostile or not, are now grounds for a block.

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