Elon Musk has confirmed that posts containing external links in their main text are deprioritized on X (formerly Twitter), reigniting user frustrations about the platform’s visibility rules. Critics argue this policy limits access to external sources and stifles information sharing, leaving creators, publishers, and journalists at a disadvantage.
The issue came to light again when Paul Graham, a prominent user with nearly two million followers, criticized X for its link restrictions. “Twitter’s biggest flaw,” Graham tweeted on Sunday, “is the deprioritization of tweets with links in them.”
The deprioritization of tweets with links in them is Twitter’s biggest flaw. It bothers me more than all the new right-wing trolls. Trolls I’m used to, but what draws me to Twitter is to find out what’s going on, and you can’t do that without links.
— Paul Graham (@paulg) November 24, 2024
In response, Musk acknowledged the practice and offered a workaround:
“Just write a description in the main post and put the link in the reply. This just stops lazy linking.”
While Musk defended the move as a way to discourage “lazy” linking practices, critics say it’s part of a broader issue with X’s approach to external content. Many users, especially journalists and publishers, see the policy as a roadblock to promoting their work effectively.
As X faces criticism, competitor Bluesky is taking the opportunity to position itself as a more open platform for creators. Unlike X, Bluesky openly promotes the sharing of external links.
Rose, an employee at Bluesky, responded to a user comparing the visibility of The Guardian on Bluesky and X. “We want Bluesky to be a great home for journalists, publishers, and creators,” she said. “Unlike other platforms, we don’t de-promote your links. Post all the links you want — Bluesky is a lobby to the open web.”
We want Bluesky to be a great home for journalists, publishers, and creators. Unlike other platforms, we don’t de-promote your links. Post all the links you want — Bluesky is a lobby to the open web.
— Rose 🌹 (@rose.bsky.team) November 27, 2024 at 10:08 AM
Bluesky’s approach aligns with its mission of fostering an open and decentralized internet, a stark contrast to X’s restrictions.
For publishers and journalists, these policies could influence decisions about where to focus their social media strategies. While X remains one of the largest platforms, its deprioritization of links complicates visibility for those who rely on driving traffic to external sites.
Bluesky, on the other hand, positions itself as a link-friendly alternative, potentially attracting users frustrated with X’s policies. However, Bluesky is still in its infancy and faces challenges scaling to match X’s reach.
Musk’s admission has sparked a larger conversation about social media platforms’ control over content visibility. Critics argue that policies like X’s prioritize keeping users on the platform rather than facilitating the free flow of information.
As users weigh their options, it remains to be seen whether Bluesky’s openness to links will be enough to draw creators and publishers away from X. For now, the debate over link visibility continues, shaping the future of how information is shared across platforms.
