X/Twitter is testing the removal of like, comment, and repost buttons from replies

[Cpvr]

Elon Musk's platform X, formerly known as Twitter, is once again testing a controversial design change. The latest update under consideration involves removing like, comment, and repost buttons, as well as their counts, from replies to posts. Additionally, view counts would be removed from reply posts.

This potential change was discovered in the code of the most recent X iOS app, version 10.53, by user @aaronp613. While not all discovered features make it to the live platform, this finding indicates serious consideration and testing by the company.

If implemented, the removal of these features would only affect the appearance of replies when viewing the original post. Clicking on a reply would still reveal the like, comment, and repost buttons, as well as view counts, on the reply's individual page.

Potential Impact on X Culture

Removing interaction counts from replies could significantly alter the platform's culture, particularly impacting the "ratio" phenomenon. This occurs when a controversial or unpopular post receives replies with more likes and reposts than the original post. Musk has a history of making substantial cultural changes to X, such as rebranding Twitter to X and eliminating the term "tweet."

Recently, X made all users' likes private to protect those who engage with controversial content. However, X has also reversed some unpopular changes in the past. For instance, last year, the platform initially removed link headlines from posts but reinstated them after user feedback.

A similar test was found in the X iOS app code last month, where like, comment, and repost buttons were removed from the main post view, requiring users to swipe to interact. As of now, this feature has not been implemented.



Source: https://mashable.com/article/elon-musk-x-remove-ratio-post-replies-interaction

 

[Shortie]

As someone who has been using X or as it was known before, Twitter for many years now and having an account on the platform since early 2009, the changes that have been made so far on the platform have not been great changes and you can feel the difference on the platform now as opposed to how it used to be.

If things such as likes and comments are removed, what would be the point of the site? It would lose everything and what people use it for.

 

[Cpvr]

As someone who has been using X or as it was known before, Twitter for many years now and having an account on the platform since early 2009, the changes that have been made so far on the platform have not been great changes and you can feel the difference on the platform now as opposed to how it used to be.

If things such as likes and comments are removed, what would be the point of the site? It would lose everything and what people use it for.

I agree. The entire vibe on X/Twitter has totally shifted ever since Musk took over.
They’re also testing a “dislike” button.

 

[ken_gitahi]

This will wreak havoc for marketers who depend on those metrics. I know many who use those metrics in different ways, and this is just a way of making the site/platform a lot less attractive for them

 

[uptrendfinancialsignal]

This is not a good news. The reason it will limit user engagement and interactions. And it is definitely going to affect our Twitter experience and online discussions as well.