Coverage dated October 4, 2023

‘Borderline Useless’: X Removes Headlines On News Posts As Critics Say Move Changes Site’s Functionality

Headline from Forbes

X’s billionaire owner recently claimed hiding headlines from news posts will help crackdown on “clickbait.”

Forbes's own description from its feed. We collect headlines and these descriptions, not full articles; read the original reporting below.

Earlier updates in this story

Read the reports

Reports & sources

25 articles, oldest first.

Triblive
X removes article headlines in latest platform update, widening a rift with news media (opens Triblive)
Published Oct 4, 2023
Triblive's feed description
SAN FRANCISCO — X, formerly known as Twitter, has stopped showing headlines on articles shared on the platform. Now, X only displays an article’s lead image and a link to the story. Plans for the change were first reported by Fortune in August, when owner Elon Musk confirmed in a
Forbes
‘Borderline Useless’: X Removes Headlines On News Posts As Critics Say Move Changes Site’s Functionality (opens Forbes)
Published Oct 4, 2023
Forbes's feed description
X’s billionaire owner recently claimed hiding headlines from news posts will help crackdown on “clickbait.”
NBC News
Elon Musk’s X gets rid of story headlines and links in some users’ feeds (opens NBC News)
Published Oct 4, 2023
NBC News's feed description
Musk this month confirmed a Fortune report that the company was considering the change, pitching it as a way to “greatly improve the esthetics.”
Digital Journal
Musk's X strips headlines from news links (opens Digital Journal)
Published Oct 4, 2023
Digital Journal's feed description
Elon Musk's social media platform X has stripped headlines from news articles shared by users.
Honolulu Star-Advertiser
X removes article headlines in latest platform update (opens Honolulu Star-Advertiser)
Published Oct 4, 2023
Honolulu Star-Advertiser's feed description
SAN FRANCISCO >> X, formerly known as Twitter, has stopped showing headlines on articles shared on the platform. Now, X only displays an article’s lead image and a link to the story.
Fortune
Elon Musk got rid of headlines on Twitter/X. It's massively backfiring (opens Fortune)
Published Oct 4, 2023
Fortune's feed description
Fortune's headline breaking the news can no longer be seen on X, but users have found ways to highlight it via meme.
Insider
Elon Musk adds to a long list of bizarre changes to X by ditching article headlines (opens Insider)
Published Oct 4, 2023
Insider's feed description
Musk first floated the change back in August, saying it came directly from him and would improve the way the platform looked.
Engadget
X starts removing headlines from posted links (opens Engadget)
Published Oct 4, 2023
Engadget's feed description
The website formerly known as Twitter has started removing headlines and snippets from posted links, implementing a change Fortune reported in August.
New York Post
Elon Musk follows through with bizarre threat to strip headlines from news stories on X (opens New York Post)
Published Oct 4, 2023
New York Post's feed description
On Wednesday, X stripped headlines from news organizations’ posts on the platform — a move Elon Musk first announced back in August.
The Guardian
X, formerly Twitter, strips headlines from news story links to improve their look (opens The Guardian)
Published Oct 4, 2023
The Guardian's feed description
The change came after owner Elon Musk said it would ‘improve the esthetics’ as platform becomes increasingly hostile for news organisations
Variety
X/Twitter Removes Headlines From Articles Shared on the Platform, Which Elon Musk Believes Will Enhance ‘Esthetics’ (opens Variety)
Published Oct 4, 2023
Variety's feed description
Elon Musk's X no longer displays headlines for articles shared to the platform, because Musk thinks it looks cleaner.
Washington Post
Elon Musk strips news headlines from X, posing challenge for media outlets (opens Washington Post)
Published Oct 4, 2023
Washington Post's feed description
The headline of this article will no longer appear in the tile that automatically appears when a link to the piece is shared on X, formerly Twitter.
Deadline
X/Twitter Follows Through On Elon Musk’s Plan To Remove Headline Links From News Articles (opens Deadline)
Published Oct 4, 2023
Deadline's feed description
X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, went through with owner Elon Musk’s plan to remove headlines from news articles, creating confusion among readers used to seeing easily identifiable…
Forbes
X Users Share News Articles Under Fake Headlines After Musk Targets Story Links (opens Forbes)
Published Oct 4, 2023
Forbes's feed description
Some social media users are using the platform’s change as an opportunity to spread misinformation.
WSVN Miami
X removes article headlines in latest platform update - WSVN 7News | Miami News, Weather, Sports (opens WSVN Miami)
Published Oct 4, 2023
WSVN Miami's feed description
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — X, formerly known as Twitter, has stopped showing headlines on articles shared on the platform. Now, X only displays an article’s
Forbes
X Removes Headlines From News Articles In Latest Major Update (opens Forbes)
Published Oct 4, 2023
Forbes's feed description
The change comes after Elon Musk ramped up criticism of the “legacy” media.

Identical headlines usually mean shared wire copy. They are counted as separate articles but are not independent confirmation.