Not everyone likes Elon Musk’s new “likes” policy on X and the controversial motivation behind it makes it worse

Since Elon Musk bought Twitter in 2022, he has made numerous changes, including changing the name to “X.” His latest change has been met with pushback for a few reasons, and his true motivations may seen by many as immoral.

It’s not unusual for Musk to receive criticism, some born of the desire to dislike anything he does. However, when Musk has an idea for a change, he generally makes it fairly quickly after he announces it. Perhaps giving more time between the announcement and the change would help gauge users’ reaction.

He actually did change his mind based on reactions after announcing that users will no longer be allowed to block others, except for DM’s. Since he didn’t make that change right away, coupled with the mass pushback, he decided to not eliminate blocking after all.

Now, however, there’s yet another change, and it has been implemented just days after it was announced.

The change has to do with liking other people’s posts. “Liking” a user’s post can show support for that user, partly because if you follow someone, then you can see which posts that someone “likes.” It can also be a way to not flood other people’s timelines, because that user is not constantly reposting everything they like.

One problem with this is that people have shown support of political posts that people on the other side of the political aisle will then call out. This leads to unnecessary arguments (a common practice on X) and sometimes worse, especially if the person is fairly well known because they will have other X users demanding answers.

Now, “likes” are private. That’s the change.

More specifically, no one else can see what posts you “like,” except for the actual user who posted it. Musk’s motivations are for numerous. First, to avoid the annoyances explained above. Second, to increase how many likes a post receives — the idea being that more people will more freely like it since no one can embarrass them for liking it, though it’s also possible that the idea of liking a post publicly now serves less of a point. Third, to make the “For You” timeline on X geared more towards what you like.

That third one, though stated specifically by Musk, is questionable because it’s entirely based on the assumption that you would actually “like” more posts. Also, the other timeline is accounts you follow so, if anything, it increases the possibility that someone will be able to follow you without actually “following” you.

Many big accounts have left X thanks to some of Musk’s previous changes.

I know multiple accounts who have over 10k followers and their biggest issue is that there are accounts that constantly “like” their posts without ever following them but they all would rather see their content earn more followers at this point since their posts already receive a significant amount of likes. This new policy increases the chances of accounts not needing to follow you.

But the biggest problem is something that a vast majority of people have already pointed out, which is that it’s mandatory. Musk would have been better served to simply offer this as an option.

Yet, there is a controversial reason why Musk likely made this change and it’s hidden under his desire for free speech on the app.

Last month, despite many protesting the endless adult material accounts that litter their timeline and thus make the former bird app not the most morally sound of the social media platforms, Musk announced that adult content will be welcomed. Free speech is the reason he offers, though speech has nothing to do with people posting their sexual acts publicly. Why not make those videos private instead of someone’s likes? Aren’t our likes more related to free speech then someone else’s intimate videos?

Maybe that’s why Musk changed the name to “X,” because he knows it will now become the X-rated platform that uses sex as a way for him to make more money. He can further increase his revenue by paving the way for more potentially popular accounts — like porn accounts — to join the platform. He can further increase their activity and help them get popular by hiding who “likes” their posts.

Musk knows it will help him make more money but, in truth, this would still be true if he simply made turning “likes” to private an option.

Yet, it doesn’t change that now we have to publicly see people’s privates. Free speech everyone!