The allow and block lists were pre-Messenger 2011 lists.
MSN had Allow Lists and Block Lists which were different than your contact list. The Allow List enabled you to maintain a separate list of people who were allowed to see your presence and IM you, but you did not have to have them in your Contact List. The Block List was people that could not send you IMs or get your presence when you were online.
In Messenger 2011 and on, your Contact List IS your allow list; the people that can see you when you come online and can IM you.
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