X is Changing How Link Previews are Presented In-Stream

The X social platform (formerly Twitter) is now changing the way how link previews are presented with a new URL overlay within the image of a Twitter (X) link  preview being posted on the platform.

Now, the headline and preview text removed, and just the header image will be remaining.

If you’re wondering who came up with this decision, people can look no further than X owner Elon Musk who has confirmed the change and has taken full credit for.

This is coming from me directly. Will greatly improve the esthetics.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 22, 2023

According to Fortune, X has been reportedly informing selected partners that the new design is aimed to help combat clickbait, and while the change has been pretty unpopular among brands during the early feedback stage, the platform is dedicated to sticking with it moving forward.

This change, along with a myriad of others, seem to align with Musk’s determined goal of pushing everyone to publish on X, as opposed to anywhere else, with Musk even claiming that the social media platform provides journalists more freedom to write along with a higher income. Many social media journalists have been taking note of these moves.

If you’re a journalist who wants more freedom to write and a higher income, then publish directly on this platform!

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 21, 2023