X is shifting to the following stage of its check of downvotes on publish replies, with a brand new variation of its downvote possibility showing within the back-end code of the app this week.
As you possibly can see on this instance, posted by consumer @P4mui, X now has a brand new downvote button in manufacturing, which hasn’t been launched for public testing as but, however does look to be near launch.
The brand new UI button on replies is a damaged coronary heart icon, versus the center for a Like. So it’s successfully a dislike button, which shall be displayed on publish replies solely, not on precise posts themselves.
That can then assist X rank essentially the most related publish replies so as, to assist maximize engagement, whereas additionally giving customers a method to downvote spam and junk replies, ideally shifting them additional down and out of view. And as extra customers vote down extra junk, over time, it’ll turn into much less efficient to answer to standard posts purely for engagement, which, finally, may disincentivize spammers from making an attempt.
Although, after all, it’ll additionally allow folks to downvote no matter feedback they disagree with, which may see reputable criticism, or factual retorts, pushed out of the body on ideological grounds.
However X is accounting for this as nicely, by factoring within the historic political bias of every consumer when utilizing dislikes as a rating sign. So Trump supporters can’t simply bombard the replies of a pro-Biden publish, for instance, with X trying to make use of the identical political leaning measurement that it’s constructed into Neighborhood Notes.
Which, ideally, will imply that the system is ready to rank replies with out political bias, although so much does rely on the specifics of how X decides what every individual’s political slant is, and the way it weights such.
However a minimum of in concept, this could assist to make sure that folks don’t weaponize this method to quash opinions that they merely don’t like, with the majority of agreed downvotes almost definitely going to the meant feedback, being spammers, engagement baiters, and the like.
And if it really works, it may assist to enhance engagement within the app, by highlighting essentially the most fascinating feedback beneath every replace. That’ll make it simpler to leap into the associated dialog, with out having to wade by way of the trash.
X hasn’t supplied any particulars on the choice as but, nevertheless it has confirmed that it’s conducting early experiments, with a view to a broader check quickly.
So quickly, you’ll be registering your dissatisfaction of X replies with a damaged coronary heart emoji. Which appears a bit heavy-handed in a symbolic sense, however conceptually, the method may assist to enhance the X expertise, whereas additionally placing extra energy within the fingers of customers to affect rating.
Although, in a associated consideration, I’m wondering how this aligns with X’s coming refresh of its feed UI., the place all the decrease publish perform buttons shall be hidden, in favor of a cleaner, plainer feed.
Here’s what X goes to appear like with none like/repost buttons on the timeline, all gesture primarily based:
Swipe left and proper to love and reply or Power Contact to see a menu with extra actions pic.twitter.com/imfgi0ouvV
— Aaron (@aaronp613) July 2, 2024
As you possibly can see on this instance (shared by @aaronp613), you will nonetheless have the ability to faucet by way of on any publish inside this new timeline format, and all the decrease perform buttons will nonetheless be there, so they are not going away solely, they’re simply being hidden in the primary view.
However it does additionally appear doubtlessly complicated. For instance, you will quickly have the ability to swipe left to love a publish, however to dislike a reply, you will should faucet on a particular button, which can nonetheless be under the publish. I assume the identical will apply to liking a reply as nicely, and I ponder whether these variations in the way you work together inside completely different parts of the app shall be a greater or worse expertise.
Conceptually, I perceive the need to construct a extra responsive UI within the feed, primarily based on swipe performance, which may, finally, be extra intuitive. But when it really works that approach in a single aspect, however not in one other, that appears doubtlessly problematic for adoption.
Appears that we’re gonna’ discover out, with each updates getting nearer to launch.
