Musk and his team claim that making likes anonymous will help people feel free to like posts without worrying about social backlash. His director of engineering even mentioned that the public likes to push the wrong behaviors and discourage people from liking edgy content out of fear of retaliation or ruining their image.
In an update posted earlier this week, X’s engineering team stated that they are "making Likes private for everyone to better protect your privacy." This means users will still see their own likes, but no one else will be able to see which posts they've liked. This marks the end of a feature that many users have relied on for years.
On the surface, this sounds reasonable. But think about it—if you’re worried about the fallout from liking a post, wouldn’t you just not like it in the first place? This change seems more about letting people support content without having to publicly stand by their choices.
What's Really Going On?
The more troubling reason behind this move could be the state of X itself. Since Musk took over, the platform has been swamped with spam, bots, and other shady activities. By hiding likes, Musk might be trying to cover up the mess, making it harder to see which accounts are engaging with posts.
Likes do two main things on social media: they help platforms figure out what we like so they can keep us hooked and serve ads, and they act as a social signal showing approval. Most platforms let you see who liked what to help build community. By hiding likes, X could be trying to mask the rampant bot activity and spam that’s been taking over.
The Spam and Bot Problem
When Musk bought Twitter, he promised to take on spam bots. But his actions since then—like slashing the content moderation team—have done the opposite. Now, spam and bot activity is rampant, and users are bombarded with ads for dubious products and sketchy direct messages.
The advertising landscape has also shifted. Big brands are pulling back, and instead, users see ads for unknown crypto products. Hiding likes could help X inflate engagement metrics, making it look like there’s more genuine interaction than there actually is.
The Risks of Hidden Engagement
Making likes anonymous can also make it easier for bad actors to manipulate the platform. Without seeing who’s liking posts, it’s harder to spot influence campaigns by foreign governments or political groups. This lack of transparency can mislead users and amplify harmful content.
The Bigger Picture
Musk’s track record with platform integrity is shaky. From promising to defeat spam bots to selling blue verification badges, his decisions often make X less reliable. By hiding likes, Musk is making it even harder for users to see what’s really going on, leading to a less trustworthy platform.
Conclusion
While Musk’s move to hide likes is framed as protecting user expression, it seems more about covering up X’s problems. This decision could further erode trust and transparency on X, making it harder for users to tell what’s real and what’s not. It’s another step in the wrong direction for a platform that’s already struggling.
Here at Socialode, we're closely following this to see its impact on X. Our mission remains the same: to create a better environment for social connection. While we may not be the biggest fans of X, if this feature works as intended, kudos to them.
As Always,
You Just Need To Be You
Cheers,
The Socialode Team
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