X/Twitter removes key information about links because Elon Musk thinks it looks better

In a recent development, Elon Musk, CEO of X (formerly Twitter), has decided to remove key information about links shared on the platform. Up until the last day, whenever a user posted a link on X, it would display an image along with the article’s headline, providing users with a preview of what they would find upon clicking. However, this familiar feature has now been stripped away, leaving users with a standard image and a small corner indicator to identify it as a link.

This abrupt update has sparked confusion among many users who now find it challenging to discern whether a post contains a link and, if so, what it might lead to. Numerous news organizations have publicly expressed their concerns, as they had previously relied on Twitter to showcase the headlines of their posts.

What exacerbates the situation is that many existing tweets that contained links and were posted prior to this change have become perplexing, as they were crafted in response to the headlines pulled directly from the articles.

Elon Musk, in defense of this change, stated that he ordered it to enhance the overall appearance of the platform. Responding to rumors about the update in an August Forbes report, Musk asserted, “It’s coming from me directly,” and claimed that it would “greatly improve the aesthetics” of the platform.

However, this alteration might also serve as a strategy to encourage users to spend more time on X, rather than quickly navigating away to external links. Since Musk’s takeover of Twitter roughly a year ago, his focus has consistently been on increasing user engagement within the platform. He recently explained in a tweet, “Our algorithm tries to optimize time spent on X, so links don’t get as much attention because there is less time spent if people click away. The best thing is to post content in long form on this platform.”

This decision is part of a series of recent moves that have put Musk in conflict with news websites. Earlier this year, X appeared to introduce a delay when users clicked on certain news sites and competitors like Instagram and Blue Sky. Users reported experiencing a five-second delay before pages would load.

In conclusion, Elon Musk’s decision to remove key information about links on X has raised concerns and sparked discussions about its implications for user experience and the relationship between the platform and news organizations. While Musk’s intention may be to enhance the platform’s aesthetics and encourage longer user engagement, it has led to uncertainties and challenges in understanding the content of posts containing links. This change is part of a broader strategy by Musk to reshape the platform and its relationship with external content sources.