Elon Musk's X/Twitter Drops Headlines from Links as Ad Revenue Remains Dismal

Elon Musk’s X/Twitter continues to wrestle with substantial ad revenue losses and now adds user confusion to the mix thanks to a significant platform change that erases headlines and context from links in tweets.

MarketWatch reports Elon Musk’s X, previously known as Twitter, has unveiled a new look, removing article headlines when they are linked in tweets. The confusing change coincides intriguingly with reports of a continued stark decline in the company’s advertising revenue. The platform, since its acquisition by the tech billionaire, has suffered persistent and significant dips in its monthly revenue from ads.

The overhaul of how links display in tweets, unfolded on Wednesday evening in the platform’s mobile app. The change strips article links of their headlines, presenting users with merely a clickable image featuring the domain name of the link in small type. This alteration, while aimed at enhancing the platform’s aesthetics according to Musk, has been met with a palpable confusion among its user base. The absence of headlines, a crucial context provider for shared articles, has left many users navigating through a sea of ambiguous blurbs and images, detracting from the user-friendly experience that social media platforms conventionally strive to offer. Some have speculated that Musk’s change is designed to cause users to click less links, which means they will remain on the Twitter platform instead of leaving it to read a news story.

Musk, who has been vocal about his intentions and changes on the platform since acquiring it for a staggering $44 billion last year, has been steering X/Twitter towards a distinct path, one that seemingly downplays news content. He has been an advocate for users to pen lengthier posts to foster engagement, a move that aligns with his broader vision but has been met with mixed reviews from the platform’s diverse user demographic.