diff --git a/src/api/client/membership/invite.rs b/src/api/client/membership/invite.rs
index 018fb774b..9526cec97 100644
--- a/src/api/client/membership/invite.rs
+++ b/src/api/client/membership/invite.rs
@@ -48,14 +48,13 @@ pub(crate) async fn invite_user_route(
 
 	match &body.recipient {
 		| invite_user::v3::InvitationRecipient::UserId { user_id } => {
-			let sender_ignored_recipient = services.users.user_is_ignored(sender_user, user_id);
-			let recipient_ignored_by_sender =
-				services.users.user_is_ignored(user_id, sender_user);
+			let sender_filter_level = services.users.user_filter_level(sender_user, user_id);
+			let recipient_filter_level = services.users.user_filter_level(user_id, sender_user);
 
-			let (sender_ignored_recipient, recipient_ignored_by_sender) =
-				join!(sender_ignored_recipient, recipient_ignored_by_sender);
+			let (sender_filter_level, recipient_filter_level) =
+				join!(sender_filter_level, recipient_filter_level);
 
-			if sender_ignored_recipient {
+			if !sender_filter_level.allowed() {
 				return Ok(invite_user::v3::Response {});
 			}
 
@@ -70,7 +69,7 @@ pub(crate) async fn invite_user_route(
 				}
 			}
 
-			if recipient_ignored_by_sender {
+			if !recipient_filter_level.allowed() {
 				// silently drop the invite to the recipient if they've been ignored by the
 				// sender, pretend it worked
 				return Ok(invite_user::v3::Response {});
diff --git a/src/api/client/message.rs b/src/api/client/message.rs
index 842036f5c..dea95713e 100644
--- a/src/api/client/message.rs
+++ b/src/api/client/message.rs
@@ -286,11 +286,12 @@ where
 
 	if ignored_type
 		&& (ignored_server
-			|| (!services.config.send_messages_from_ignored_users_to_client
-				&& services
+			|| !(services.config.send_messages_from_ignored_users_to_client
+				|| services
 					.users
-					.user_is_ignored(event.sender(), user_id)
-					.await))
+					.user_filter_level(event.sender(), user_id)
+					.await
+					.allowed()))
 	{
 		return true;
 	}
diff --git a/src/api/client/room/create.rs b/src/api/client/room/create.rs
index 238691d14..0d3425a7c 100644
--- a/src/api/client/room/create.rs
+++ b/src/api/client/room/create.rs
@@ -223,9 +223,20 @@ pub(crate) async fn create_room_route(
 
 	if preset == RoomPreset::TrustedPrivateChat {
 		for invite in &body.invite {
-			if services.users.user_is_ignored(sender_user, invite).await {
+			if !services
+				.users
+				.user_filter_level(sender_user, invite)
+				.await
+				.allowed()
+			{
+				// don't send invites to users the sender has ignored
 				continue;
-			} else if services.users.user_is_ignored(invite, sender_user).await {
+			} else if !services
+				.users
+				.user_filter_level(invite, sender_user)
+				.await
+				.allowed()
+			{
 				// silently drop the invite to the recipient if they've been ignored by the
 				// sender, pretend it worked
 				continue;
@@ -400,9 +411,20 @@ pub(crate) async fn create_room_route(
 	// 8. Events implied by invite (and TODO: invite_3pid)
 	drop(state_lock);
 	for user_id in &body.invite {
-		if services.users.user_is_ignored(sender_user, user_id).await {
+		if !services
+			.users
+			.user_filter_level(sender_user, user_id)
+			.await
+			.allowed()
+		{
+			// don't send invites to users the sender has ignored
 			continue;
-		} else if services.users.user_is_ignored(user_id, sender_user).await {
+		} else if !services
+			.users
+			.user_filter_level(user_id, sender_user)
+			.await
+			.allowed()
+		{
 			// silently drop the invite to the recipient if they've been ignored by the
 			// sender, pretend it worked
 			continue;
diff --git a/src/api/client/sync/v3.rs b/src/api/client/sync/v3.rs
index 298a6e4b3..6fc61e06c 100644
--- a/src/api/client/sync/v3.rs
+++ b/src/api/client/sync/v3.rs
@@ -624,9 +624,10 @@ async fn load_joined_room(
 		.filter_map(|(read_user, _, edu)| async move {
 			services
 				.users
-				.user_is_ignored(read_user, sender_user)
+				.user_filter_level(read_user, sender_user)
 				.await
-				.or_some((read_user.to_owned(), edu))
+				.allowed()
+				.then_some((read_user.to_owned(), edu))
 		})
 		.collect::<HashMap<OwnedUserId, Raw<AnySyncEphemeralRoomEvent>>>()
 		.map(Ok);
diff --git a/src/api/client/sync/v4.rs b/src/api/client/sync/v4.rs
index a16e4526d..78e1cb890 100644
--- a/src/api/client/sync/v4.rs
+++ b/src/api/client/sync/v4.rs
@@ -558,9 +558,10 @@ pub(crate) async fn sync_events_v4_route(
 			.filter_map(|(read_user, _ts, v)| async move {
 				services
 					.users
-					.user_is_ignored(read_user, sender_user)
+					.user_filter_level(read_user, sender_user)
 					.await
-					.or_some(v)
+					.allowed()
+					.then_some(v)
 			})
 			.collect()
 			.await;
diff --git a/src/api/client/sync/v5.rs b/src/api/client/sync/v5.rs
index e4cefba0f..66ca8a732 100644
--- a/src/api/client/sync/v5.rs
+++ b/src/api/client/sync/v5.rs
@@ -455,9 +455,10 @@ where
 			.filter_map(|(read_user, _ts, v)| async move {
 				services
 					.users
-					.user_is_ignored(read_user, sender_user)
+					.user_filter_level(read_user, sender_user)
 					.await
-					.or_some(v)
+					.allowed()
+					.then_some(v)
 			})
 			.collect()
 			.await;
diff --git a/src/service/rooms/state_cache/update.rs b/src/service/rooms/state_cache/update.rs
index 86c1afe72..a681cbdd3 100644
--- a/src/service/rooms/state_cache/update.rs
+++ b/src/service/rooms/state_cache/update.rs
@@ -122,7 +122,13 @@ pub async fn update_membership(
 		},
 		| MembershipState::Invite => {
 			// We want to know if the sender is ignored by the receiver
-			if self.services.users.user_is_ignored(sender, user_id).await {
+			if !self
+				.services
+				.users
+				.user_filter_level(sender, user_id)
+				.await
+				.allowed()
+			{
 				return Ok(());
 			}
 
diff --git a/src/service/rooms/timeline/append.rs b/src/service/rooms/timeline/append.rs
index 1d404e8ae..fe0f91c2d 100644
--- a/src/service/rooms/timeline/append.rs
+++ b/src/service/rooms/timeline/append.rs
@@ -193,9 +193,9 @@ where
 			.state_cache
 			.active_local_users_in_room(pdu.room_id())
 			.map(ToOwned::to_owned)
-			// Don't notify the sender of their own events, and dont send from ignored users
+			// Don't notify the sender of their own events, and don't send from ignored users
 			.ready_filter(|user| *user != pdu.sender())
-			.filter_map(|recipient_user| async move { (!self.services.users.user_is_ignored(pdu.sender(), &recipient_user).await).then_some(recipient_user) })
+			.filter_map(|recipient_user| async move { (self.services.users.user_filter_level(pdu.sender(), &recipient_user).await.allowed()).then_some(recipient_user) })
 			.collect()
 			.await;
 
diff --git a/src/service/rooms/typing/mod.rs b/src/service/rooms/typing/mod.rs
index a81ee95c7..3b667fcc8 100644
--- a/src/service/rooms/typing/mod.rs
+++ b/src/service/rooms/typing/mod.rs
@@ -12,7 +12,11 @@ use ruma::{
 };
 use tokio::sync::{RwLock, broadcast};
 
-use crate::{Dep, globals, sending, sending::EduBuf, users};
+use crate::{
+	Dep, globals,
+	sending::{self, EduBuf},
+	users::{self},
+};
 
 pub struct Service {
 	server: Arc<Server>,
@@ -197,11 +201,11 @@ impl Service {
 			.into_keys()
 			.stream()
 			.filter_map(|typing_user_id| async move {
-				(!self
-					.services
+				self.services
 					.users
-					.user_is_ignored(&typing_user_id, sender_user)
-					.await)
+					.user_filter_level(&typing_user_id, sender_user)
+					.await
+					.allowed()
 					.then_some(typing_user_id)
 			})
 			.collect()
diff --git a/src/service/users/mod.rs b/src/service/users/mod.rs
index 6ddd8d798..d12006e6c 100644
--- a/src/service/users/mod.rs
+++ b/src/service/users/mod.rs
@@ -39,6 +39,22 @@ pub struct UserSuspension {
 	pub suspended_by: String,
 }
 
+/// Represents a user's level of filtering on actions from another user.
+/// "Ignore" and "block" are defined in [MSC4283].
+/// This may be moved into Ruwuma in the future.
+///
+/// MSC4283: https://github.com/matrix-org/matrix-spec-proposals/pull/4283
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy, PartialEq, Eq)]
+pub enum UserFilterLevel {
+	Allow,
+	Ignore,
+	Block,
+}
+
+impl UserFilterLevel {
+	pub fn allowed(&self) -> bool { return *self == UserFilterLevel::Allow; }
+}
+
 pub struct Service {
 	services: Services,
 	db: Data,
@@ -123,20 +139,32 @@ impl crate::Service for Service {
 }
 
 impl Service {
-	/// Returns true/false based on whether the recipient/receiving user has
-	/// blocked the sender
-	pub async fn user_is_ignored(&self, sender_user: &UserId, recipient_user: &UserId) -> bool {
+	/// Returns a UserActionResult based on whether the recipient/receiving user
+	/// has ignored or blocked the sender
+	pub async fn user_filter_level(
+		&self,
+		sender_user: &UserId,
+		recipient_user: &UserId,
+	) -> UserFilterLevel {
+		// can only return Allow or Ignore for now
 		self.services
 			.account_data
 			.get_global(recipient_user, GlobalAccountDataEventType::IgnoredUserList)
 			.await
-			.is_ok_and(|ignored: IgnoredUserListEvent| {
-				ignored
+			.map(|ignored: IgnoredUserListEvent| {
+				let sender_ignored_recipient = ignored
 					.content
 					.ignored_users
 					.keys()
-					.any(|blocked_user| blocked_user == sender_user)
+					.any(|blocked_user| blocked_user == sender_user);
+
+				if sender_ignored_recipient {
+					UserFilterLevel::Ignore
+				} else {
+					UserFilterLevel::Allow
+				}
 			})
+			.unwrap_or(UserFilterLevel::Allow)
 	}
 
 	/// Check if a user is an admin