Elon Musk's X Makes Likes Private by Default

SAN FRANCISCO—X, the social media network formerly called Twitter, has officially made "likes" private by default for all users, according to multiple reports. Elon Musk, the eccentric billionaire who purchased X in 2022, has long promised the move, initially implementing it as an optional paid feature for premium subscribers. “This week, we’re making Likes private for everyone to better protect your privacy,” reads a post by X Engineering. “You will still be able to see posts you have liked (but others cannot). Like count and other metrics for your own posts will still show up under notifications. You will no longer see who liked someone else’s post. A post’s author can see who liked its posts.” The platform states that a toggle setting can now control likes. For some, this is a boon as it prevents potential public relations crises for non-adult industry public figures who engage with sexual, hateful and other controversial posts on the platform. Users can still view who liked their tweets with metrics and a like count for their posts. The move also eliminates one of the main points behind the X premium subscription.  Once Musk took control of the company, advertising revenue plunged due to several factors, including the platform’s allowance of fringe far-right groups to advertise alongside popular mainstream brands used by millions of consumers. Premium subscriptions still exist, and the standardization of private likes also came shortly after X formally allowed adult content on the platform. AVN reported on that new policy change when it occurred at the end of May 2024.