X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, will reintroduce displaying news headlines on link preview cards – reversing an unpopular visual redesign by CEO Elon Musk.
In a recent post, Musk stated that an upcoming update will overlay titles on the top portion of images on URL preview cards. This restoration comes just months after headlines were removed in October to “enhance aesthetics”, sparking backlash.
In an upcoming release, 𝕏 will overlay title in the upper potion of the image of a URL card
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 23, 2023
Originally, preview cards on tweets displayed both the article’s headline and imagery when sharing links. But Musk’s tweak forced users to click through to read titles or outlets to incorporate overt keywords on images instead.
Now confronting user frustration and publisher SEO troubles, a rollback seems imminent. However, Musk did not specify an exact timeline for the restored previews.
The fickle billionaire’s product whims also involve molding X into a one-stop platform for dating, jobs, sports streaming, and more. He recently suggested evaluating individuals by histories of likes, retweets, and replies.
But while chasing lofty Web3 goals, Musk cannot afford to alienate X’s core base too frequently. Reinstating a crucial feature like readable headlines signals someone behind the scenes is nudging him to fix what isn’t broken.
Whether preview titles ultimately return looking better or worse, Musk’s one-man design dictatorship has sparked chaos at X. For the company to thrive, he must balance his radical instincts with constructive criticism – including knowing when to rewind hasty changes completely missing the mark.
