Elon Musk’s X (Formerly Twitter) Removes Public Likes to Boost User Privacy

Highlights

• X (formerly Twitter) will no longer display public likes on user profiles.
• The change aims to enhance privacy and encourage genuine user interactions.
• Users can still see who liked their posts and the total number of likes.
• The “Liked” section on profiles will be removed to increase privacy.

The social network app X, previously named Twitter, will no longer display public likes on the pages of users.

This is a big change driven by its new proprietor, Elon Musk.

Haofei Wang, X’s Director of Engineering, commented on the change: “Public likes are incentivising the wrong behavior. Many people feel discouraged from liking content that might be considered ‘edgy’ for fear of backlash or to protect their public image. Soon, you’ll be able to like without worrying who might see it.”

What is driving this?

Yeah, we are making likes private.

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.

Soon you’ll be able to like without…

— Haofei (@wanghaofei) May 22, 2024

Haofei Wang, Engineering Boss at X, says making likes private is encouraging bad behaviour.

He says hiding other people’s likes will let users like whatever they like without caring about who’s watching.

Yeah, we are making likes private.

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.

Soon you’ll be able to like without…

— Haofei (@wanghaofei) May 22, 2024

This, however, does not mean that you won’t be able to get likes on your posts.

According to senior engineer Enrique Barragan, users can still see who liked their posts and how many likes they received.

The “Liked” area on profiles will be removed, so you don’t see what other people liked.

More privacy

This update increases users’ privacy because preferences will not be visible to others.

Privacy is important today.

X hopes making likes private will result in a more authentic online environment in which people can be themselves.

Taking away public likes is just one of many changes to X since Elon Musk took over.

The whole software was rebranded from Twitter to X and may soon charge a tiny price for basic functionality.

Social Media’s Future

Some may like this privacy update, but others may not.

It could impact influencers, brands and how people use the app overall.

The effects are still unknown.

As X makes this big change, it raises bigger questions about social media and being online.

How much privacy should there be?

Do we care too much about likes and validation online?

X’s move makes us rethink these ideas.

FAQs

Why is X removing public likes on user profiles?

X is removing public likes to enhance user privacy and encourage genuine interactions without concern for public visibility.

Will users still be able to see their own likes on X?

Yes, users will still be able to see who liked their posts and the total number of likes received.

How will this change affect the “Liked” section on user profiles?

The “Liked” section on user profiles will be removed, so users cannot see what others have liked.

What are the potential benefits of making likes private on X?

Making likes private can lead to a more authentic online environment, where users feel freer to engage without worrying about public scrutiny.

What other changes has X undergone since Elon Musk took over?

X has rebranded from Twitter to X and may soon charge a small fee for basic functionality, among other changes.

How might this change impact influencers and brands on X?

The removal of public likes could impact how influencers and brands measure engagement and interact with their audience, potentially altering their strategies on the platform.

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