Audio By Carbonatix
Elon Musk is pushing to change how news links appear on his social media platform X, formerly called Twitter, in a move that could potentially undermine the ability of news publishers to draw audience.
X is planning to remove the headline and text while retaining just the lead image from links to news articles shared on the platform, Musk said in a post late on Monday.
Fortune had first reported the news on Monday, citing a source that the move was pushed directly by Musk.
This is coming from me directly. Will greatly improve the esthetics.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 22, 2023
The move is likely an attempt by Musk to get users to spend more time on X and push them to opt for the subscription service for more details.
It is not immediately clear how the move will impact advertisers on the platform that Musk claimed in July had 540 million monthly users.
Currently, news links come up on the timeline of users as "cards" along with an image, source address and an abridged headline. Such packaging helps draw clicks and helps publishers gain readers.
But with the shortened links, users might end up writing some text along with their posts and eventually, they could consider X's premium service that allows a single post of up to 25,000 characters.
With the changes, Musk is pitching X as a more relevant platform for content creators. Premium subscribers can now post longer videos, their posts are shown higher up and they also receive a cut of ad sales.
Latest Stories
-
Over 1,000 NDC women petition A-G for Sedina’s release, Volta youth group backs call
6 minutes -
Most White Volta residents evacuated ahead of Bagre Dam spillage — NADMO
8 minutes -
La Nkwantanang-Madina MCE orders probe into alleged chemical ripening of fruits
13 minutes -
EOCO must name all persons linked to Berko bribery scheme — NPP communicator
15 minutes -
Prophet Emmanuel Adjei leads powerful prophetic encounters at ‘Born to Prophesy 2026’
22 minutes -
Bagre Dam spillage: NADMO secures temporary shelters for potential flood victims
22 minutes -
NALAG President charges assembly members to keep ‘eagle eye’ on public funds
24 minutes -
Mahama must probe $1.7bn GoldBod loss – Abena Osei-Asare
42 minutes -
Ousted Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad sentenced to death in absentia
50 minutes -
Assin Fosu court orders mental examination for woman accused of assaulting 10-year-old daughter
60 minutes -
Vice President calls for sustainable livelihoods, stronger protection for Kayayei
1 hour -
Family, passengers injured in ghastly road crash at Ejisu
1 hour -
DMU 002 train repaired after colliding with goat near Ashaiman
1 hour -
Three remanded over alleged concealment of 869 cocaine slabs in gari
1 hour -
Ernest Chemists mourns with Dagbon, donates GH¢70,000 to Palace
1 hour