In an upcoming update, the social media platform X is considering removing likes and reposts from view on the timeline, with a potential rollout "within the next few weeks," as revealed by a software engineer at X.

While not directly involved in the change, X software engineer Ellis Driscoll mentioned that employees are currently testing the feature internally. The new user experience (UX) may include an "exploding menu" where likes and reposts are placed within a separate menu on the home screen. However, Driscoll clarified that the video shared by X's head of payments, Christopher Stanley, showcasing this new menu was just a demo of the "more" menu and not necessarily the final UX for users. The main focus of the new UX, according to Driscoll, is to make liking and replying to posts faster and more intuitive, utilizing "simple gestures."

In the new interface, X users would still be able to view the number of likes and reposts on individual posts, but they would need to select each post to see these metrics. Stanley explained that the new engagement method would involve a "long press and then swipe to choice," resembling a video game interface.

While X has not provided a specific reason for removing likes, Stanley suggested that the changes aim to improve the user experience and maximize screen space for content. Some users believe that this change could shift the focus toward the content of posts rather than the engagement metrics, potentially reducing the influence of like-based competition among users.

However, critics argue that hiding likes could allow X to promote content favored by its internal teams without users being able to discern why a post is trending, similar to changes made by Instagram and TikTok in the past.