Elon Musk urged journalists to directly publish their content on X, formerly known as Twitter, Monday evening amid reports that the platform is testing a change that hides headlines and other text from tweets that link to news articles.
X is reportedly planning to change how news article links appear on the social media platform.
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Key Takeaways
- Fortune first reported the planned change, citing an unnamed source, which will alter how news articles appear on the platform, as tweets with links will only display the lead image of a news article.
- The report said the change was directly being pushed by Musk, who believes it will “help curb clickbait” and “reduce the height of tweets.”
- Musk confirmed the move, tweeting: “This is coming from me directly. Will greatly improve the esthetics.”
- News links currently shared on X are displayed as “cards” showing the lead image, a headline and a one-line summary.
- Following the reported change, the lead image will still be clickable and link back to the article, but publishers will need to manually add any text they want to appear on a tweet, the report added.
Crucial Quote
The reported change comes as Musk attempts to get more creators and journalists to publish directly on X in exchange for a share of ad revenue and subscriptions. On Monday Musk tweeted: “If you’re a journalist who wants more freedom to write and a higher income, then publish directly on this platform!”
Key Background
The reported tweak comes amid a broader effort by Musk to alter how and what kind of news content is served on X. Musk has been vocal about getting high-profile content creators to publish directly on the platform.
In June, Musk highlighted former Fox News host Tucker Carlson’s news show, which he uploads directly to X, as he urged MSNBC host Rachel Maddow and former CNN anchor Don Lemon to follow suit. However, monetizing content via subscriptions and ad revenue is only accessible to creators and journalists who pay for X Blue, the platform’s $8 per month subscription service. Musk has also been accused of targeting news outlets and platforms he dislikes by throttling access to their sites and removing their verified badges.
This article was first published on forbes.com and all figures are in USD.
