In a bold move aimed at protecting user privacy and combating online harassment, Elon Musk, the tech billionaire and CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, announced that all likes on his social media platform X would now be private by default.
Just a day after implementing this change, Musk announced on Thursday that it caused a significant surge in the number of likes globally.
Concerns over users potentially facing retaliation from trolls for their likes on posts drove the decision to make likes private by default.
Creating A Safer Online Environment: Musk
Musk emphasized that this new privacy feature aims to create a safer environment. It allows users to engage without fearing targeting.
Musk took to X and posted, “There has been a massive increase in likes since we made them private.”
This surge in likes indicates that users are responding positively to the enhanced privacy settings, feeling more comfortable expressing their appreciation for posts without the risk of public scrutiny.
Following this update, users on platform X will no longer see the list of likes on others’ posts.
However, they will retain the visibility of their own likes, and the original authors of posts will continue to see who has liked their content.
This ensures that users can still engage meaningfully with content creators while maintaining their privacy.
Explaining further, Musk stressed the importance of allowing users to like posts without fear of backlash, asserting that this change will enable more genuine interactions on the platform.
The social media company behind platform X clarified that likes will remain visible only to the author and will not be displayed publicly or to other users.
“We could even make it customizable for users,” the company added, hinting at potential future enhancements to further personalize the user experience.
Musk’s proactive approach to enhancing user privacy and mitigating online harassment underscores his commitment to fostering a positive and secure digital environment.
Users widely applauded the move, appreciating the newfound privacy and protection it offers.
As the platform continues to evolve, Musk remains at the forefront of innovating solutions that prioritize user well-being while promoting meaningful social interactions online.
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