X owner Elon Musk appears concerned about the platform’s declining user base. In a recent move, he announced that users can hide likes, shares, and reposts on the platform, sparking speculation about his intentions.
The change was met with skepticism by some, as it comes after months of criticism over X’s cluttered interface and aggressive advertising. However, it may be an attempt to address growing competition from Twitter alternatives such as BlueSky and Meta’s Threads.
According to Similarweb, BlueSky’s daily active users have increased by 300% since Election Day, reaching 3.5 million. Threads has also seen a significant surge in growth, with 275 million monthly active users.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is taking notice of the trend, as former Twitter power users are choosing BlueSky over Threads. Musk’s X has made several user-hostile policy changes, including dismantling the block function and requiring users to opt out of AI chatbot training.
The platform has struggled with issues such as hate speech, child exploitation, and disinformation since Musk took over. Throttling the visibility of posts that include external links may be a sign that X is trying to limit outside news.
As users flee to Twitter alternatives, it’s no wonder why many are leaving X in search of a cleaner and more user-friendly experience.
Source: https://futurism.com/the-byte/change-twitter-elon-musk-panicking-bluesky