In a recent development, Elon Musk-owned X, formerly Twitter, is planning to roll out a new way to display news links on the platform. According to a report by Fortune, X will no longer show headlines and descriptions in preview cards for news articles, instead displaying only the link and the header image.
Confirmation from Elon Musk
Musk confirmed the move in a post on Monday, stating that it was coming "directly" from him. He expressed his intention to improve the aesthetics of the platform with this change. The full quote is as follows:
"This is coming from me directly. Will greatly improve the esthetics." (@elonmusk, August 22, 2023)
Impact on News Articles
Currently, a Twitter card for a news article or blog post shows the headline and summary text (just on the web) along with the header image in the preview card of a post. However, if the proposed change comes through, X will only show the image with a link in a post. This means that if a publication or blog doesn’t post any accompanying text with the link, users will only see the link and the image for that article.
Rationale Behind the Change
A source told Fortune that the update aims to reduce the height of a post to fit more posts on one screen. They also said that Musk thinks that removing headlines from the preview card will reduce clickbait. However, with no preview card, publications or blogs can simply write any text inciting users to click on the link.
Reducing Clickbait and Improving User Experience
Musk has been vocal about his intention to reduce clickbait on X. Earlier this month, he tweeted:
"If you’re a journalist who wants more freedom to write and a higher income, then publish directly on this platform!" (@elonmusk, August 21, 2023)
X’s Changing Relationship with News Content
Over the weekend, a bug on X broke links and images posted using the platform’s native service before December 2014. The company later acknowledged the glitch through its support account on the platform and said the issue would be fully resolved in the coming days.
This development comes as X is also in the process of replacing the functionality of blocking users with a revamped mute feature that will essentially let users follow someone without the ability to interact with them.
Concerns Over News Content on X
The Agence France-Presse (AFP) news agency sued Xin France over a "clear refusal" to discuss remuneration sharing of its news content on the platform. While it remains to be seen whether the AFP will prevail in its copyright law challenge to X under France’s neighboring right for news, the social network does appear to be becoming less friendly toward displaying news links — which may be no accident.
Conclusion
The proposed change by X to display news links without headlines or descriptions raises questions about the platform’s relationship with news content. While Musk aims to reduce clickbait and improve user experience, some experts worry that this move will ultimately lead to a less engaging experience for users. As the social network continues to evolve, it remains to be seen how this change will impact the way users consume news on X.
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