Elon Musk is seeking to change the way news links appear on the "X" platform (formerly Twitter) in a move that could undermine news publishers' ability to attract readers. Musk stated in a post late Monday evening that the "X" platform plans to remove the headline and text while keeping only the main image from news article links shared on the platform.
If you’re a journalist who wants more freedom to write and a higher income, then publish directly on this platform!— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 21, 2023
Fortune magazine was the first to report this news yesterday, citing a source who said the move is a direct initiative from Musk. This step may be an attempt by Musk to encourage users to spend more time on his platform and prompt them to opt for a subscription service for more details.
It remains unclear how this move will affect advertisers on the platform, which Musk said in July has 540 million monthly users. Currently, news links appear for users as "cards" with an attached image, source title, and a brief headline. This format helps attract users to click on the links and assists publishers in gaining readers. However, with the implementation of shortened links, users may resort to writing some text with their posts and may ultimately consider subscribing to the premium service on the platform, which allows for up to 25 thousand characters in a single post.
