On Wednesday, the social media platform X made the decision to make “likes” private for all users. This means that although users can still see the posts they have liked, others will not be able to view this information. The engineering team at X announced this change as a way to better protect users’ privacy. While users will still be able to see metrics such as like count and notifications for their own posts, they will no longer be able to see who liked someone else’s post.
Users who logged onto X on Wednesday were greeted with a banner under their “Likes” section stating, “Your likes are private. Only you can see them.” This change caused a trend on X in the U.S. with more than 90,000 posts discussing the new privacy settings. Users took to the platform to share memes and jokes about the update, with some joking about having to mind their own business now that likes are private.
Despite the change, users found humor in the situation with posts like, “My likes are private now but that’s ok I will simply announce every time I like a tweet you’re welcome.” Companies also joined in on the conversation, with Papa John’s posting on X, “Since Twitter likes are private now, like this if you think pineapple belongs on pizza.” This change in privacy settings sparked a mix of reactions from users, with some finding it amusing and others adjusting to the new way of interacting on the platform.
The decision to make likes private on X was met with a variety of responses from users, ranging from jokes and memes to thoughtful reflections on the impact of the change. While users will still have access to their own like history and notifications, the ability to see who liked other users’ posts has been removed. This change reflects a growing concern for privacy on social media platforms and a shift towards protecting users’ personal information from being shared with others without their consent.
Overall, the update to make likes private on X marks a significant change for users who are accustomed to the platform’s previous settings. As users navigate this new feature, they will need to adjust their interactions with posts and consider the implications of liking content privately. The trend sparked by this update showcases the active engagement of users on X and the ongoing conversation around privacy and social media usage in today’s digital landscape.
