FILE - Computer monitors and a laptop display the X, formerly known as Twitter, sign-in page, July 24, 2023, in Belgrade, Serbia. X's engineering team said it would be “making Likes private for everyone to better protect your privacy" — that means that users will still be able to see their own likes, but others will not — putting an end to a feature that many long-used. The change went into effect Wednesday, June 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic, File)
NEW YORK (AP) — Social media platform X, previously known as Twitter, has updated its features to hide likes from other users. This change, announced by X's engineering team, is aimed at enhancing user privacy. From now on, users can still view their own likes, but others will no longer be able to see them, effectively ending a feature that many users were accustomed to.
The update took effect on Wednesday. By that afternoon, the “Likes” tab was only accessible on users' personal profiles, and no longer visible when viewing other accounts. A pop-up notification informed users that this change could increase engagement, suggesting, “Liking more posts will make your ‘For you’ feed better.”
The engineering team clarified that while users will no longer see likes on others' posts, like counts and other metrics for a user's own posts will still appear under notifications. Posts will continue to display the number of likes they have, but only the post's author can see who liked them.
Previously, the option to hide likes was available only to Premium subscribers. When X introduced this feature in September, it described it as a way to keep likes private, allowing users to “keep spicy likes private by hiding your likes tab.”
This change is part of a series of modifications implemented since Elon Musk's acquisition of the platform for $44 billion in 2022. Along with the name change and a new logo, Musk's takeover saw the removal of verification badges from non-Premium users, a move that was later reversed for some users.
The updates have generated varied reactions. The initial removal of verification badges from notable individuals and organizations raised significant concerns about misinformation. Additionally, the platform has faced increasing pushback from users and advertisers regarding issues related to content moderation and hate speech. Some researchers have noted a rise in such content since Musk's acquisition.
Overall, the decision to hide likes aligns with X’s ongoing efforts to refine its user experience and privacy settings. However, the reception to these changes remains mixed, reflecting broader debates over the balance between user privacy, content moderation, and platform transparency.
