X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, is undergoing another change under the ownership of Elon Musk. The latest update involves the removal of public “likes” from users’ profile pages. The Director of Engineering at X, Haofei Wang, announced this change in response to a tweet by MacRumors researcher Aaron Perris. Perris had discovered a new flag in the X app for iOS that disabled the likes tab on every user’s public profile when activated.
Wang explained that public likes often incentivize negative behavior and discourage users from engaging with controversial content or protecting their public image. By making likes private, X aims to create an environment where users can freely express their preferences without fear of retaliation or judgment. Additionally, Wang mentioned that the platform’s algorithm will improve its content recommendations based on the posts users like.
While Wang’s announcement left some questions unanswered, X Senior Software Engineer Enrique Barragan provided further clarification. He explained that users will still be able to see who liked their own posts and that the like count on posts and replies will remain public. The only change is that users won’t be able to see who liked other users’ posts or view a tab showcasing all the posts they have liked.
This update from X is significant because it is being discussed by the director of engineering, indicating that it is likely to be implemented soon. In the past, Elon Musk has made announcements about changes to X that were never realized or later reversed. However, given the evidence of code ready for launch, it is probable that public likes will indeed be removed from X.
The decision to remove public likes is not necessarily driven by studies suggesting a link between social media engagement numbers and mental health issues. Instead, it aligns with Wang’s statement about removing potential consequences for users based on the posts they like. This change will allow users to engage with “edgy” content without facing public scrutiny.
Elon Musk himself has experienced backlash for liking controversial posts in the past. With this update, he and others who enjoy similar content will be able to do so without the public’s knowledge. It remains to be seen how users will respond to this change and whether it will have a positive impact on the X platform.
