Highlights

• X, formerly Twitter, now offers private likes for user privacy
• Likes are hidden from public view, visible only to the user and post authors
• The feature aims to reduce backlash and encourage free expression
• Initial reports show a significant increase in likes since the feature’s introduction

X, Elon Musk’s social media, previously known as Twitter, has launched a life-changing feature: private likes.

Now, the posts a user liked became publicly visible information in the previous state of affairs, which sometimes brought with it undesired consequences or backlash.

A few weeks ago, Haofei Wang, X’s director of engineering, explained that this change is aimed at protecting users’ public image. Wang explained that users get discouraged from liking content that might be seen as controversial or “edgy.”

With the introduction of private likes, the Likes tab on user profiles will be removed. Users will still be able to see who liked their own posts and the total like count for all posts. They will not be able to see who liked other people’s posts.

Enrique Barragan, a senior software engineer at X, confirmed this & gave an idea to the launch of this feature .

Wang said last month, “Soon you’ll be able to like without worrying who might see it.” A source close to Musk mentioned, “Social media in general is shifting away from like counts, so this makes sense. Part of me thinks [Musk] just wants to disassociate from Twitter more and more.”

X Now Hiding Likes

This week we’re making Likes private for everyone to better protect your privacy.

– You will still be able to see posts you have liked (but others cannot).

– Like count and other metrics for your own posts will still show up under notifications.

– You will no longer see who…

— Engineering (@XEng) June 11, 2024

Still, with the newest feature update, a user can like whatever he feels like, without any fear of being attacked for choices of content.

Posts that users liked will still appear for them, but no longer for other users.

But the authors will still see like counters and be able to see who has liked their posts.

Detailed lists of likes of other people’s posts though, won’t be available, the X Engineering account said.

Elon Musk, X’s Owner and Executive Chairman, further drove home the materiality of this move.

He clarified that it allows people to like posts and not be attacked in every other way for doing so.

This means there is an open space to engage with content a user finds exciting or enjoyable without being judged.

Initial comments from several creators and paid users expressed their discontent over the shift, sighting the loss of running tallies of post engagement and potential manipulation of the platform through paid likes.

But this change could merely spur more liking as people know that their preferences will be private and not subject to potential bullying or harassment.

A Positive Impact

The impact of this change has been immediate and significant.

Elon Musk shared a graph on X, revealing a massive spike in the number of likes since they were made private.

The graph showed that from around 14,000 likes, the number jumped to more than 23,000 in just a few hours after the announcement on June 12.

While the move to make likes private has removed one of the reasons to obtain the premium subscription offered by X, it does work with the company’s efforts to revive user engagement and revenue streams.

X’s revenues took a substantial hit in 2023, prompting the introduction of a paid tier to compensate for the lost income.

FAQs

What is the new feature introduced by X (formerly Twitter)?

X has launched a private likes feature, allowing users to like posts without their likes being publicly visible, enhancing user privacy and reducing potential backlash.

Who can see the likes on a post with the new update?

The user who liked the post and the post’s author can see the like count, but detailed lists of who liked other people’s posts are no longer available to the public.

Why did X introduce private likes?

The feature was introduced to create a safer environment where users can engage with content freely without fear of judgment, backlash, or harassment.

How have users reacted to the private likes feature?

While some creators and paid users expressed concerns over the loss of visible engagement metrics, many users appreciate the enhanced privacy and freedom to like content without judgment.

What impact has the private likes feature had so far?

Since the introduction of private likes, there has been a significant increase in the number of likes on posts, indicating that users feel more comfortable engaging with content privately.

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