X’s weird update: Elon Musk’s social media platform stops showing headlines of news articles, blogs

X, formerly known as Twitter, has undergone a significant alteration in how it displays shared articles on the platform. Rather than showing article headlines, X now only displays the article’s lead image and the domain to which it will direct you.

This transition, though somewhat inconvenient, was somewhat anticipated. Back in August, Fortune had reported on the impending change, and X’s owner, Elon Musk, confirmed that the shift was under his direct purview, aimed at “greatly improving aesthetics.” Although I lack an Android device to confirm, it’s plausible that this change may eventually extend to the Android version of the app.

In recent times, Musk has been actively encouraging users to post more content directly on X, with the intention of enhancing engagement on the platform. He has also stated that X’s algorithm prioritizes maximizing the time users spend on the platform, which means that traditional links may not receive as much attention. According to Musk, the best approach is to share content in long-form directly on the platform.

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While this change may align with Musk’s objectives, it’s worth noting that, in the opinion of some, the removal of headlines makes X less user-friendly. Posts are now more challenging to quickly understand, which raises questions about whether this change will actually lead to an increase in user activity, as Musk envisions.