X (formerly Twitter) seems to be tinkering with a 'dislike' button

[Garth Gator]

Elon Musk’s X, formerly known as Twitter, is quietly testing a new downvoting feature aimed at improving the ranking of replies. While the company has yet to make an official announcement, recent discoveries indicate that this feature might resemble a “dislike” button, distinct from the traditional Reddit-style downvote icon.

 

References found within the X iOS app reveal a button that looks like a broken heart, placed next to the familiar heart-shaped ‘like’ button.

 

 

There are also direct mentions of “downvoting.” Unlike Twitter’s previous trial of both upvoting and downvoting for all posts, X seems to be focusing downvotes exclusively on replies. The aim is to highlight more valuable responses in lengthy threads and push less-liked comments further down. This approach could also reduce the incentive for users to post inflammatory content simply to generate dislikes.

 

 

 

Aaron Perris, a reverse engineer, recently discovered image files in the X iOS app that hint at the design of the button as a broken heart. Screenshots shared on X show prompts asking users to confirm their downvotes, suggesting that the feature is currently being tested. However, it is still unclear whether X will apply the downvote functionality to all posts or keep it restricted to replies.

 

• https://techcrunch.com/2024/07/11/x-is-building-a-dislike-button-for-downvoting-replies/
• https://www.dexerto.com/tech/a-dislike-button-for-x-is-reportedly-being-tested-out-2817130/

 

 

Opening image: Vadreams | Dreamstime.com