In a significant change to the social media landscape, Elon Musk has announced that the public likes feature on social media app X (formerly Twitter) will soon be hidden. The likes tab will also be removed from user profiles in the near future.
This move follows recent reports and has been confirmed by engineers at X. Likes have long been a staple of social media platforms such as Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook, playing a crucial role in user engagement and content visibility.
The decision to remove public likes stems from concerns about the feature incentivizing undesirable behavior. Haofei Wang, an engineer at X, explained, “Public likes are incentivizing the wrong behavior. For example, many people feel discouraged from liking content that might be ‘edgy’ in fear of retaliation from trolls, or to protect their public image.”
Wang also shared insights on improving the credibility of the ‘For You’ tab on X. “The more posts you like, the better your ‘For You’ algorithm will become,” Wang added. While X Premium users have always had the option to hide their likes, the platform now intends to make this a default setting for all users.
Former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey has expressed skepticism about this change, questioning how it differs from the bookmark feature. Wang clarified, “Like is visible between you and the author, the author will be notified, but not anyone else. Bookmark is only visible to you.”
This update is part of a broader set of changes under Musk’s leadership. Recently, the platform’s domain name transitioned from Twitter.com to X.com, marking a definitive shift from its legacy. Musk also plans to introduce charges for posting content, a move that could impact the platform’s popularity.
These changes have sparked mixed reactions, with many users expressing disappointment over the direction Musk is taking with X. As the platform continues to evolve, it remains to be seen how these adjustments will affect user engagement and the overall social media experience.
Elon Musk Social Media Platform X
Twitter, a microblogging platform founded in 2006 by Jack Dorsey, Biz Stone, and Evan Williams, has become a cornerstone of social media culture. With its distinctive 280-character limit per tweet, Twitter has revolutionized the way people share information, engage in conversations, and stay updated on news and events worldwide.
At its core, Twitter serves as a real-time public forum where users can express their thoughts, opinions, and experiences on virtually any topic imaginable. Its simplicity and brevity encourage concise communication, making it ideal for rapid dissemination of information and fostering meaningful interactions.
Twitter’s influence extends beyond individual users, as it has become a powerful tool for businesses, journalists, politicians, and celebrities to connect with their audiences, amplify their messages, and shape public discourse. The platform’s features, such as hashtags, retweets, and trending topics, facilitate virality and enable content to reach a broad audience quickly.
Despite facing challenges such as misinformation, harassment, and content moderation issues, Twitter remains a vital platform for free expression and civic engagement. Its role in shaping conversations, driving social movements, and breaking news underscores its significance in the digital age. As Twitter continues to evolve and adapt to changing trends and user behaviors, its impact on society is likely to endure for years to come.
