X should bring back stars, not hide ‘likes’

Comment
Elon Musk’s X is preparing to make “likes” private on the social network, in a change that could potentially confuse users over the difference between something they’ve favorited and something they’ve bookmarked. According to new posts by company employees, the decision to hide likes is meant to incentivize engagement, by allowing people to favorite content that seems “edgy” and to protect their public image.
It’s not clear this is the best solution to the problems X is trying to fix, such as more signal for its algorithm so it can better personalize its content to your interests.
some clarifications on the private likes change:
– you will be able to see who liked your posts
– you can see the like count for all posts / replies / etc
– you cannot see the people who liked someone else's post
– you cannot see others "Liked" tab on their profile
The change comes across as somewhat unnecessary, given that X, the company formerly known as Twitter, already had a private way to save posts on the platform: bookmarks. While X’s bookmarks are meant for collecting posts you may want to refer back to or threads you may want to read later, they also served as the more private alternative to the “like.”
Adding to the confusion is the fact that users will be able to see who liked their posts as well as the like count for all their posts and replies. In other words, the private “like” is only semi-private — it’s known to the poster, who could theoretically expose someone’s likes if they wanted to. If X is trying to incentivize “edgy” engagement, such as liking posts that feature adult content or extreme political positions, for example, people may still be hesitant to “like” that content, given that it’s not an entirely private system.
Instead, they may continue to use X’s bookmarks or even external link-saving tools to save those liked posts they don’t want to risk exposing.
According to posts by X employees, users will no longer be able to see the likes associated with other people’s posts nor will they be able to browse someone’s likes through a tab on their profile. This could help to eliminate the snooping others do, but it also removes a useful discovery feature.
If you’re just joining X, for instance, you might browse the likes of others you follow to get ideas about who else they may find interesting and engaging. Or, if exploring another person’s profile to determine if you’d want to follow them, you could use their likes to get a sense of what sort of content they’re generally into.
I go to the likes tab of people I respect to find excellent content I might not have seen otherwise. Maybe the option to turn off likes is optimal?
The real problem with likes is that the feature’s creation shifted the meaning of what used to be a bookmarking function. Before it was rebranded from a star to a heart icon, as was the fashion at the time, the feature was more of a “favorite” rather than a signal of support. Users could theoretically favorite anything because doing so did not suggest that they actually enjoyed or agreed with the content.
Rather, it could be something they were simply documenting — a politician’s statement you massively disagreed with but wanted to remember; a post that warranted further research; posts you were collecting to later build out a collection in Moments (RIP); a billionaire’s most upsetting or ridiculous posts, and more. No one could reasonably accuse you of “liking” the content because you weren’t clicking a heart icon, thus giving you plausible deniability.
When Twitter shifted from stars to hearts, users were outraged. They understood that hearts conveyed an entirely different meaning, which impacted how they would use the social network.
Wrote TechCrunch at the time, “the ‘Like’ is limiting in what it allows a user to express,” while the Favorite function could mean all sorts of things, like a “thank you, a handshake, a tip of the hat, or even a Robert De Niro stare down.” TechCrunch said then that the change from stars to hearts wouldn’t solve Twitter’s larger issues around growing its user base and creating more engagement, and it largely did not. The company had to find an exit quarter after quarter of flat growth.
As a result of the backlash over the change, Twitter later launched Bookmarks to bring back a way to save something privately, including those posts that you didn’t necessarily agree with, as well as those that you intended to reference again.
Now, as X is shifting the functionality around the “like” once again, many users are registering their disappointment. On X, people are suggesting a variety of alternatives to this proposed change, like making the likes private as an option, not a default, or long-pressing the heart icon to leave an anonymous “like.” Others warned that privatizing likes could lead to manipulation as creators employed armies of bots to boost their content and help them generate revenue.
lol now bots are going to be harder to track. good job. 🙃
There’s another solution, too, and it’s one alluded to by former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey. While we don’t agree with much Dorsey has to say these days — that Nostr, for instance, is the future of social or that Bluesky is some sort of censorship platform — on the likes vs. stars debate, he’s on to something.
Wrote Dorsey in a post on X: “‘like’/❤️ was originally a ⭐️. we should have never moved away from that.”
His post has over 700 likes and many replies agreeing with the sentiment.
If what X is after is not adding more privacy around user engagement functions but rather more signals for its algorithm, it doesn’t need to hide likes. A simple shift away from the heart icon — perhaps to a star! — would be a much less dramatic change while accomplishing the same goal.
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
Every weekday and Sunday, you can get the best of TechCrunch’s coverage.
Startups are the core of TechCrunch, so get our best coverage delivered weekly.
The latest Fintech news and analysis, delivered every Sunday.
TechCrunch Mobility is your destination for transportation news and insight.
By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice.
Last year’s investor dreams of a strong 2024 IPO pipeline have faded, if not fully disappeared, as we approach the halfway point of the year. 2024 delivered four venture-backed tech…
Federal safety regulators have discovered nine more incidents that raise questions about the safety of Waymo’s self-driving vehicles operating in Phoenix and San Francisco.  The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration…
Terra One’s pitch deck has a few wins, but also a few misses. Here’s how to fix that.
Chinasa T. Okolo researches AI policy and governance in the Global South.
TechCrunch Disrupt takes place on October 28–30 in San Francisco. While the event is a few months away, the deadline to secure your early-bird tickets and save up to $800…
Another week, and another round of crazy cash injections and valuations emerged from the AI realm. DeepL, an AI language translation startup, raised $300 million on a $2 billion valuation;…
If raised, this new fund, the firm’s third, would be its largest to date.
About half a million patients have been notified so far, but the number of affected individuals is likely far higher.
Attention, tech enthusiasts and startup supporters! The final countdown is here: Today is the last day to cast your vote for the TechCrunch Disrupt 2024 Audience Choice program. Voting closes…
Featured Article
Among other things, Whittaker is concerned about the concentration of power in the five main social media platforms.
Lucid Motors is laying off about 400 employees, or roughly 6% of its workforce, as part of a restructuring ahead of the launch of its first electric SUV later this…
Google is investing nearly $350 million in Flipkart, becoming the latest high-profile name to back the Walmart-owned Indian e-commerce startup. The Android-maker will also provide Flipkart with cloud offerings as…
A Jio Financial unit plans to purchase customer premises equipment and telecom gear worth $4.32 billion from Reliance Retail.
Foursquare, the location-focused outfit that in 2020 merged with Factual, another location-focused outfit, is joining the parade of companies to make cuts to one of its biggest cost centers –…
“Running with scissors is a cardio exercise that can increase your heart rate and require concentration and focus,” says Google’s new AI search feature. “Some say it can also improve…
The European Space Agency selected two companies on Wednesday to advance designs of a cargo spacecraft that could establish the continent’s first sovereign access to space.  The two awardees, major…
Expressable is a platform that offers one-on-one virtual sessions with speech language pathologists.
The French Secretary of State for the Digital Economy as of this year, Marina Ferrari, revealed this year’s laureates during VivaTech week in Paris. According to its promoters, this fifth…
Spotify is notifying customers who purchased its Car Thing product that the devices will stop working after December 9, 2024. The company discontinued the device back in July 2022, but…
Elon Musk’s X is preparing to make “likes” private on the social network, in a change that could potentially confuse users over the difference between something they’ve favorited and something…
The FCC has proposed a $6 million fine for the scammer who used voice-cloning tech to impersonate President Biden in a series of illegal robocalls during a New Hampshire primary…
Welcome back to TechCrunch Mobility — your central hub for news and insights on the future of transportation. Sign up here for free — just click TechCrunch Mobility! Is it…
Crowdaa is an app that allows non-developers to easily create and release apps on the mobile store. 
Back in 2019, Canva, the wildly successful design tool, introduced what the company was calling an enterprise product, but in reality it was more geared toward teams than fulfilling true…
TechCrunch Disrupt 2024 isn’t just an event for innovation; it’s a platform where your voice matters. With the Disrupt 2024 Audience Choice Program, you have the power to shape the…
The United States Department of Justice and 30 state attorneys general filed a lawsuit against Live Nation Entertainment, the parent company of Ticketmaster, for alleged monopolistic practices. Live Nation and…
The U.K. will shortly get its own rulebook for Big Tech, after peers in the House of Lords agreed Thursday afternoon to pass the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumer bill…
Spotify’s addition of its AI DJ feature, which introduces personalized song selections to users, was the company’s first step into an AI future. Now, Spotify is developing an alternative version…
Call Arc can help answer immediate and small questions, according to the company. 
After multiple delays, Apple and the Paris area transportation authority rolled out support for Paris transit passes in Apple Wallet. It means that people can now use their iPhone or…
Powered by WordPress VIP

source
Sponsor:News technical sponsor
Sponsor:News AI sponsor
Sponsor: AI sponsor
Sponsor: AI sponsor