It's part of the ignore feature now, so instead of just affecting the person using it, helping them to protect themselves, it can trigger the person it is used against as big zero points out.

I don't mind that it exists, my ego is not that fragile (better not be after 30 years of therapy :-) I just mind the surprise of not finding out until after the fact instead of at the same time/before. We have a "friends" list and an "ignore" list and I wish the "ignore" list would send a notification like the friends list does so I don't waste my time reading/caring/replying to someone's post only to be told after the fact that I have been blocked. Like I said, I was blocked by a relative stranger, I'm not in the habit of stalking or being a deliberate pain in the patooey to anyone so I don't think I was "personally" blocked (I don't know that person so can't claim they know me, either) but would have been nice if I'd gotten a PM or notice (someone taking responsibility for ignoring another) saying, "hey, don't know why but your posts really bother me, I'm putting you on ignore".