Social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, is undergoing significant changes to how news links are displayed, driven by owner Elon Musk. The updates include removing text and headlines from news links and showing only the main image. This alteration could potentially drive users towards X's premium service.

The change might prompt users to include more text in their posts due to the limited preview. The premium service, catering to content creators, offers longer video posts, higher visibility, and a share of ad sales.

Musk's ownership tenure has seen various abrupt alterations, including suspensions of journalists and changes that have negatively impacted the news media. Musk's efforts seem aimed at positioning X as a more attractive platform for content creators while minimizing interactions with traditional media.

Why does it matter?

This move highlights the ongoing exploration of diversified revenue models by social media platforms. Given X's reported challenges in boosting ad revenue, the platform's decision to limit the content displayed in standard news links could be positioned to encourage users to consider the premium service. This development underscores the persistent difficulty social media platforms face in finding effective monetization strategies that extend beyond the conventional reliance on traditional advertising.