Twitter might hide its 'like' and 'retweet' metrics


Twitter wants to make some changes, and two of its most notable features, likes and retweets, could face the chopping block, Buzzfeed News reports.
The social media company recently released a public prototype called "twttr" to test out users' responses to the possible alterations, as the platform looks to repair what Buzzfeed News calls a "fundamentally broken" system. One of those possible changes is making engagement metrics invisible (though a simple tap would reveal them.) That's an idea long championed by Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey, who reportedly thinks likes and retweets "encourage users to be outrageous" to enhance their own profiles.
Hiding those numbers, Twitter says, would put the primary focus on replies, so that the actual flow of the exchange doesn't get lost. Emphasizing the conversational aspect of Twitter would reportedly make it "easier to understand who is responding to what."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Senior product designer Lisa Ding told Buzzfeed News that the company wanted to see if users would choose to read things without having their interest levels skewed or if they would chime in on conversations in a different manner. But their removal prompted a mixed response from people who tried the prototype app. Users did appreciate the more egalitarian nature of the new design, but also said they couldn't always gauge the importance of a reply, leading to some confusion.
Whether metrics are ultimately hidden, Twitter is definitely going to revamp the design of its product. It will reportedly be a gradual process that will allow users to "mentally prepare" for the app's new look. Read more at Buzzfeed News.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Tim is a staff writer at The Week and has contributed to Bedford and Bowery and The New York Transatlantic. He is a graduate of Occidental College and NYU's journalism school. Tim enjoys writing about baseball, Europe, and extinct megafauna. He lives in New York City.
-
The Week US terms and conditions
-
Leo XIV vs. Trump: what will first American Pope mean for US Catholics?
Today's Big Question New pope has frequently criticised the president, especially on immigration policy, but is more socially conservative than his predecessor
-
What's going on with the Beckhams?
In the Spotlight From wedding tantrums to birthday snubs, rumours of a family rift are becoming harder to hide
-
Warren Buffet announces surprise retirement
speed read At the annual meeting of Berkshire Hathaway, the billionaire investor named Vice Chairman Greg Abel his replacement
-
Trump calls Amazon's Bezos over tariff display
Speed Read The president was not happy with reports that Amazon would list the added cost from tariffs alongside product prices
-
Markets notch worst quarter in years as new tariffs loom
Speed Read The S&P 500 is on track for its worst month since 2022 as investors brace for Trump's tariffs
-
Tesla Cybertrucks recalled over dislodging panels
Speed Read Almost every Cybertruck in the US has been recalled over a stainless steel panel that could fall off
-
Crafting emporium Joann is going out of business
Speed Read The 82-year-old fabric and crafts store will be closing all 800 of its stores
-
Trump's China tariffs start after Canada, Mexico pauses
Speed Read The president paused his tariffs on America's closest neighbors after speaking to their leaders, but his import tax on Chinese goods has taken effect
-
Chinese AI chatbot's rise slams US tech stocks
Speed Read The sudden popularity of a new AI chatbot from Chinese startup DeepSeek has sent U.S. tech stocks tumbling
-
US port strike averted with tentative labor deal
Speed Read The strike could have shut down major ports from Texas to Maine