What X's move to hide our likes means for accountability
Journalists frequently scrutinized politicians' likes, but that era is over as platform makes likes private
This week, X, formerly known as Twitter, made likes private — meaning people can no longer see which users have liked posts. It's a move the company says is aimed at improving privacy, however, experts say the change will harm the public's ability to hold the powerful to account.
Public likes on the social media platform were always a double-edged sword. They established a public record of every user's interests and interactions. But they were also an occasional source of trouble for politicians, celebrities and even site owner Elon Musk, whose likes were frequently examined by journalists and the public.
"Likes were this really important and interesting way to understand the types of content those in power really consume and agree with," said Liam McLaughlin, a communication and media lecturer at the University of Liverpool.
"Removing this content is a poor move for democracy, some might argue."
