Social network X: when clicks mean money, not information

The Twitter we all know is becoming increasingly distant in memory, especially now after the latest decision made by Elon Musk of removing the news headlines.

Images are the only thing left, with a brief space for the website name in the bottom left corner; no space for the headline of the news nor the URL.

Elon Musk, owner of X, with this new call, has earned the nickname “the king of misinformation.”

The explanation he offered for this procedure is that it allows "reducing the height of tweets."

They also argue that in this way they hope to avoid the so-called "clickbait," catchy news hooks, usually sensationalist, that attract Internet users to click to find out about the matter.

But that reason is not very convincing. Now, there are even fewer informative elements and, therefore, the user is almost forced to click if he wants to find out anything suggested in the brief graphic message.

Before such an unfortunate decision, Twitter could offer a global overview of information —including fake news— with just a glance of the headlines.

Now, the only winners are the advertisers and, of course, Musk and company.

It becomes evident that for the cyber tycoon each click means money and not information.

They seem to care little about the role of the news media, which now either type in the headline, without the link, or they only post related text.

This also facilitates the spread of fake news, while the user has no other alternative but to click if he wants to find out the truth... or the lie.

A year after having purchased the Twitter platform, the income of that platform has plummeted, falling by up to 90% and this strategy seems to be the last resource to keep afloat.

But such desperate measures will probably sink X deeper, a platform where misinformation reigns, less and less focused on the Internet user and the truth.

Translated by Sergio A. Paneque Díaz / CubaSí Translation Staff