Elon Musk Previously Announced the Return of Headlines for Shared Links on X (formerly known as Twitter), and True to His Promise, They Are Now Back
Last year, Elon Musk announced the removal of headlines from article links shared on X (formerly known as Twitter), citing an enhancement in the overall aesthetic value of each post. In October, as promised, headlines disappeared from the platform, and only the image of a shared link became visible, redirecting users to the source upon clicking. However, recent developments suggest a change, with headlines reportedly making a comeback on X, albeit with a twist.
According to a report by The Verge, headlines are now back on X but in a more compact form, appearing as overlays on the link’s picture. In contrast to the traditional separate white box, the current presentation features smaller, white-colored text. The Verge also noted that full headlines are now displayed similarly to the overlay, with only a select few users currently able to see this change. It is expected that this feature will be made available to all users soon.
Elon Musk had hinted at the return of headlines to X in a tweet from November 2023, emphasizing that they would be presented as overlays on images, stating, “In an upcoming release, X will overlay title in the upper portion of the image of a URL card.” Musk clarified that, while overlaid on the image, every pixel matters.
The decision to remove headlines in the first place was explained by Musk’s desire to reduce the vertical space occupied by tweets on users’ screens. This change aimed to allow more posts to fit within the timeline visible to users. Additionally, Musk believed that this modification would help reduce clickbait. Musk encouraged journalists to publish directly on the platform around the same time, suggesting that it would offer them ‘more freedom and higher income.
