Elon Musk has announced plans to eliminate the display of likes and repost counts from users’ feeds on X, instead opting to show only view counts. This decision has been met with criticism from X users, who argue that it will negatively impact engagement on the platform.
The decision to remove like and repost counts was first revealed by the prominent X account DogeDesigner. They mentioned that while the counts would no longer be visible on the feed, they would still be accessible by tapping into individual posts. Musk confirmed this decision, stating that it would indeed be implemented.
Under the new system, only view counts will be displayed on users’ timelines, serving as a proxy for other engagement metrics. However, many X users have expressed dissatisfaction with this change, fearing that it will lead to reduced engagement. They argue that people are more likely to interact with posts that have a visible indication of popularity, such as a high number of likes.
Some users went as far as to label the decision as “excessively stupid” and predicted that it would have a detrimental effect on engagement without achieving any positive outcomes. One user even suggested that Musk should consider adding a dislike button to provide users with an alternative means of expressing their opinions.
This announcement comes shortly after Musk revealed another upcoming feature for X users: the ability to pin posts for their followers to see. According to Musk, users will soon be able to pin one post every 48 hours, allowing them to highlight important content for their audience.
Musk also hinted at changes to the platform’s recommendation algorithm, promising that all followers would have access to pinned posts. This move is likely aimed at increasing the visibility of important or noteworthy content shared by users.
Overall, while Musk’s decision to remove like and repost counts may have been intended to streamline the user experience, it has been met with skepticism and concern from the X community. Users fear that it will lead to decreased engagement and potentially hinder the platform’s ability to foster meaningful interactions among its users.
