Here is how your news reading experience will change on X

Some users have reported that X (formerly Twitter) is removing headlines from news story links to only show the cover image and a small hyperlink label that names the source of the story.

The change largely seems to be affecting iOS and X desktop users, The Verge reported this week, but should soon impact Android users as well.

X owner Elon Musk said on August 22 that the change was coming from him directly and claimed it was for aesthetic reasons.

Elon Musk restores Twitter accounts of journalists after suspensions draw backlash

Screenshot of the X feed on an iPhone, showing how headlines have been removed | Photo Credit: The Hindu

Several accounts on X made use of the new feature by adding their own false or satirical headlines to news stories that were displayed only with an image.

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Since buying Twitter in late 2022, Musk has pushed users to post content directly on the platform rather than sharing third-party content through links. He also encouraged users to engage in citizen journalism and post news content by themselves in order to take over what he calls “legacy media.”

“Citizen journalism is the path to [a] better future! I strongly encourage people around the world to post news about events as they’re happening, in both text & video,” Musk posted on Wednesday.

Earlier in the year, journalists said that X temporarily slowed down access to platforms such as The New York Times, which Musk has criticised on a number of occasions.