More changes have arrived at Twitter/X, as the platform will begin hiding public “likes” on posts starting today, according to a report by The Verge citing a company source. This change follows recent reports suggesting its imminent implementation.
Haofei Wang, X’s director of engineering, confirmed the news in a post on X, stating, “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 worrying who might see it.”
Elon Musk, the owner of X for the past two years, also addressed the change on his platform, writing, “Important to allow people to like posts without getting attacked for doing so.”
While public likes will be hidden, private likes will be available, a feature already accessible to X’s Premium subscribers. The total number of likes on a post will still be visible, and users will continue to see who has liked their posts.
The change to “likes” comes shortly after the company officially authorized some NSFW content on its platform, albeit with specific restrictions.
In a recent policy update on the topic of adult materials, Twitter/X stated, “You may share consensually produced and distributed adult nudity or sexual behavior, provided it’s properly labeled and not prominently displayed.” The company emphasized, “We believe that users should be able to create, distribute and consume material related to sexual themes as long as it is consensually produced and distributed. Sexual expression, whether visual or written, can be a legitimate form of artistic expression. We believe in the autonomy of adults to engage with and create content that reflects their own beliefs, desires, and experiences, including those related to sexuality.”
This policy, previously reported by TechCrunch, outlines that while adult content is allowed, it must be consensually produced and properly labeled. The content should not be displayed in highly visible areas such as profile photos or banners. X’s Adult Content Policy also prohibits content that promotes exploitation, nonconsent, objectification, sexualization or harm to minors, and obscene behaviors.
Brooke Erin Duffy, associate professor of communication at Cornell University, noted that this move aligns with Twitter/X’s marketing strategy post-Musk acquisition. “X is unapologetically provocative and has sought to distinguish itself from ‘brand-safe’ competitors” like Meta, YouTube, and TikTok. She added, “the company seems to be courting those workers — including creators and artists — who have been marginalized by platform guidelines that tend to restrict nudity or sexual expression.”
Prior to Musk’s acquisition, Twitter already allowed adult content, with an estimated 13% of all posts containing such material, according to an October 2022 report by Reuters.
Twitter/X defines “adult content” as any “consensually produced and distributed material depicting adult nudity or sexual behavior that is pornographic or intended to cause sexual arousal.” This definition encompasses AI-generated, photographic, or animated content, including cartoons, hentai, and anime. Examples include depictions of “full or partial nudity, including closeups of genitals, buttocks or breasts” and “explicit or implied sexual behavior or simulated acts such as sexual intercourse and other sexual acts.”
The platform encourages users who frequently post adult content to adjust their media settings, ensuring that all images and videos are placed behind a content warning. This can be enabled under “Privacy and safety > Your posts” by selecting “Mark media you post as containing material that may be sensitive.” Users can also add a one-time content warning on individual posts. X users under 18, or those without a birth date on their profile, cannot view posts marked for adult content.
“If you continue to fail marking your posts, we will adjust your account settings for you,” X warned in the policy update. Users can report unmarked adult content or other violations using the app’s reporting features and may appeal decisions if they believe a mistake has been made.
