Why do replies on X show [This post is unavailable]? Why does it happen, and how can you view them?

On X (Twitter), when you are looking at the replies to a post (tweet), you may sometimes see a message saying [This post is unavailable. Learn more] displayed in place of a reply.

In this article, we will explain in detail why this message appears and how to check replies that have been replaced by this message.

What does [This post is unavailable] mean?

When browsing the replies to a post on X, you may come across posts that have been hidden and replaced with the message [This post is unavailable. Learn more].

Within X, this message is called a "tombstone," and it is shown instead of displaying certain posts.

Regarding why a warning is shown on a post, X's help page explains it as follows.

X may place notices on accounts or posts to provide context about actions our systems or teams have taken. Such actions are taken when there has been behavior that violates the X Rules.

—— "X account notices and what they mean - suspensions and more | X Help Center"

In addition, regarding [This Tweet is unavailable.], it is explained as follows.

Limited visibility posts: A post may be unavailable in situations such as when it is from a protected account you do not follow, when you are blocked by the account, when the post has been deleted, or when the posting account has been deleted.

—— "X account notices and what they mean - suspensions and more | X Help Center"

However, the latter explanation has not been updated for quite some time and no longer matches the current situation.

Directly below that explanation, three screenshots are shown, and from top to bottom they display the following messages.

1. This account owner limits who can view their Tweets.
2. This Tweet is from an account that no longer exists.
3. This Tweet is unavailable.

The first message is shown for posts from protected accounts (private accounts) that you do not follow, and the second message is shown for posts from deleted accounts.

In cases where you are blocked by an account, the first message used to be shown, but after a specification change that made it possible to view posts from accounts that have blocked you, this kind of message is no longer shown simply because you are blocked.

Furthermore, when a post has been deleted, the message [Deleted by the post author] is shown.

In other words, X's help page does not actually provide a detailed explanation of the cases in which [This Post was deleted by the Post author] is displayed.

However, as mentioned earlier, X says that it shows warnings on accounts or posts when there has been behavior that violates the X Rules.

Therefore, it is best to think of [This post is unavailable] as a general message shown on posts that violate the X Rules.

Why does [This post is unavailable] appear?

So in what specific situations does the message [This post is unavailable] appear?

As mentioned above, the detailed cases in which this message is shown are unclear, but it is thought to appear when there has been behavior that violates the X Rules.

At the time this article was written, the main X Rules are as follows. Please refer to X's help page for detailed explanations of each item.

• Violent Content
• Violent & Hateful Entities
• Child Safety
• Abusive/Harassment
• Hateful conduct
• Perpetrators of Violent Attacks
• Suicide
• Adult Content
• Illegal or Certain Regulated Goods or Services
• Private Information
• Non-Consensual Nudity
• Account Compromise
• Platform Manipulation and Spam
• Civic Integrity
• Misleading and Deceptive Identities
• Synthetic and Manipulated Media
• Copyright and Trademark

Posts that fall under any of these categories may be displayed as [This post is unavailable].

Within the range I confirmed, replies from accounts making violent remarks or repeatedly posting the same content tended to be especially likely to appear as [This post is unavailable].

Such accounts are probably being hidden because they fall under "Violent Content" or "Platform Manipulation and Spam."

How can you view unavailable posts?

So how can you view posts that are displayed as [This post is unavailable]?

First, if you know which account made the reply, you may be able to view it by opening that account's profile and checking the [Replies] tab.

In addition, the browser extension Shadowban Scanner, which I develop and which can detect shadowbans and sensitive flags, includes a feature that makes it possible to display hidden posts.

Due to a change in X's specifications, this feature is temporarily not working, but a fix is planned soon.

How to Use "Shadowban Scanner" to Monitor Twitter Shadowbans in Real Time

When your Twitter account is shadowbanned, it becomes less visible in searches and recommendations. This article explains how to use "Shadowban Scanner" to detect sensitive content classifications and shadowbans on Twitter.

December 10, 2023

Conclusion

Recently on X, it has become more common to see the message [This post is unavailable. Learn more] in reply sections.

This message is called a "tombstone" within X, and it may be shown on posts that violate the X Rules.

Posts in this state may be viewable from the account's profile or by using Shadowban Scanner.