Observed Signal · Jun 12, 2024 · Technical Release · Source: OnlineMarketing.de · Impact: 4/5 · Sentiment: Neutral
X to Hide Likes by Default
X is rolling out a default privacy change to hide likes on posts. The platform will hide the Like tab and the identities behind likes from public views, while users can still see posts they've liked and creators can see like counts in their notifications. The rollout is tied to a push by X owner Elon Musk, with the plan reportedly announced by Haofei Wang, X’s Director of Engineering, in May 2024 and confirmed by Musk. Premium subscribers had a private Likes option prior to the full rollout. The change aims to protect user privacy and curb the public visibility of reactions to polarizing content, addressing concerns about moderation and the presence of controversial accounts on X. Under the new default, only the like history for the user remains accessible to the user; others cannot trace who liked a given post.
Major platform privacy feature rollout (default private likes)
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- X will hide Likes by default for all users.
- Like counts remain visible to creators in their post notifications.
- Users will still see their own Like history.
- Elon Musk confirmed the change.
- Haofei Wang announced the plan in May 2024; private Likes were previously available to Premium subscribers.
Connected Companies & Entities
2 Entities mappedOntology Mapping & Concepts
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