X is making a big change – now your likes will be private. No more worrying about who sees what you like. But while this might sound freeing, it’s stirring up some concerns.
The news broke when users noticed the “Likes” tab disappearing from their profiles. X engineer Haofei Wang explained that public likes often stop people from liking things they’re interested in, fearing judgment or backlash.
Yeah, we are making likes private.
Public likes are incentivizing the wrong behavior. For example, many people feel discouraged from liking content that might be "edgy" in fear of retaliation from trolls, or to protect their public image.
Soon you’ll be able to like without… https://t.co/vPGllc4pB0
— Haofei (@wanghaofei) May 22, 2024
With likes going incognito, X hopes people will engage more freely with content, making its algorithms smarter. But there’s a worry – will this lead to liking stuff people wouldn’t want to be associated with?
Concerns
Some fear hidden likes could encourage endorsing controversial or offensive content without consequences. Plus, there’s concern about X showing more of this content to users who engage with it.
Why would someone want to like content they don’t want linked to their profile? While some say it’s about exploring different views, others worry it could support harmful ideas.
Critics also wonder about X owner Elon Musk’s role. Given his controversial opinions, some see this move as fitting his vision for the platform.
X’s switch to hidden likes marks a big change. As users adjust, we’ll see how it shapes the platform’s culture and the content that gets promoted.
Featured image credit: Prateek Katyal/Unsplash
