Elon Musk's X Platform Removes Text from News Article Links, Draws Criticism

Elon Musk's social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, has made a controversial change by removing headlines and text from news articles shared by users. While Musk has stated that the change is for "aesthetic" reasons, it has ignited criticism and concerns regarding the platform's impact on the dissemination of news and its relationship with media organizations.

Since Musk's acquisition of X last year in a $44 billion deal, the platform has undergone significant transformations. This includes staff layoffs, allowing banned conspiracy theorists and extremists back onto the platform, and reinstating and banning various journalists and media outlets. These actions have sparked backlash and led some media groups to stop posting content on X.

The recent change results in news article links appearing only as pictures with a small watermark, eliminating text headlines. Users and journalists have voiced concerns that this alteration makes it challenging to distinguish news content from other types of information, potentially undermining the trustworthiness of the platform as a news source.

In August, AFP and other French news outlets initiated a legal case against X, accusing the platform of copyright breaches. Additionally, in September, the European Commission reported that X had a higher ratio of misinformation and disinformation compared to other social media platforms.

The strained relationship between tech companies and media organizations extends beyond X. Companies like Google and Meta (formerly Facebook) have resisted laws mandating payments to media companies for displaying their news content.

The recent changes introduced by X, coupled with its history of contentious decisions and actions, are having real-world consequences. Axios reported that referrals to media websites from X and Meta's Facebook have significantly declined over the past three years. These developments underscore the evolving dynamics between social media platforms, media outlets, and the dissemination of news and information.

https://www.hypefresh.com/x-removes-news-headlines-musk-says-its-for-aesthetic-reasons/

ELON MUSK, TWITTER