- X (formerly Twitter) is one of the largest social media platforms
- Although the platform's essence remains the same, Elon Musk has introduced a number of notable changes
- Here are eight updates that Musk has facilitated
From the removal of the blue bird logo to its current name "X," Elon Musk continues to roll out ideas since his takeover that cause a stir for some users and excitement for others.
Here are all the updates Musk effected to the platform since taking charge.
8 notable changes Elon Musk has made to X (Twitter)
1. Musk changed Twitter logo from bird to new name "X": In July 2023, Musk changed the logo of Twitter to an "X", replacing the well-known blue bird associated with Twitter. Also, much of the lingo synonymous with Twitter was swapped for more utilitarian terms. Tweets and retweets suddenly became posts and reposts.
2. Temporary limits on tweets you can read a day: Musk also temporarily limited the number of tweets users could read in July, 2023. For a brief period, verified accounts could read about 6,000 posts per day while unverified accounts were limited to just 600 per day.
3. Musk announces Linda Yaccarino as new CEO: In an unprecedented move, Musk conducted a poll on Twitter on December 18, 2022, asking users whether he should step down as the company's CEO. He said that he would "abide by the results of this poll." The decision came in favour of Musk no longer being Twitter's CEO, and he ultimately announced Linda Yaccarino as the new CEO in May 2023.
4. Gold, gray checks along with blue verified marks: Musk announced in November 2023, that the platform's verified service would provide different coloured checks for people, companies and governments.
5. Headlines display on posts: In October 2023, X stopped displaying headlines on posts linking to news articles on its desktop website. Elon Musk said it was an effort to improve how the platform looks.
6. Monthly fee for verification sticker: In October 2022, Musk announced that users who want a verification sticker must subscribe to a subscription service for $8 per month, which came with other benefits like priority in replies, mentions and searches.
7. Officially makes 'likes' private: X will hide who liked a post, according to an in-app alert and updates. The move, according to the company, is to better protect users’ privacy on the app. On June 12, 2024, Elon Musk also shared the news on his platform, writing, "Important to allow people to like posts without getting attacked for doing so!”
8. Officially allows adult content: In June 2024, X added new rules to the platform, specifically its "adult content policy" page. The rules explicitly allow consensual adult content, which includes full nudity and sexual acts.
It is boldly written at the top of X's adult content policy page that, "You may share consensually produced and distributed adult nudity or sexual behaviour, provided it's properly labelled and not prominently displayed."