DIGITAL ECONOMY · ANALYSIS
X displays a hand to encourage users to promote posts
TechCrunch reports the appearance of a hand pointing toward the promotion button while users compose posts on X. Several users have complained, but the scope of the rollout and any possible link to the new head of product remain unknown.
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A hand pointing toward the promotion button appears while users compose posts on X, according to several accounts collected by TechCrunch. The reproduced posts are dated October 26 and 27. They describe a visual element appearing in the interface and drawing attention to the option of paying to promote a post.
The quoted reactions mainly express surprise and annoyance. They establish that several accounts have encountered this interface, without establishing how many users are affected or whether the change is widespread. The article also provides no measure of its commercial effectiveness. A visible reaction on screen is therefore insufficient to demonstrate an increase in promotion purchases.
This change comes as Peter Sellis announced on October 26 that he was taking over as head of product at X. TechCrunch notes that he previously held product roles at Snap and Discord. The outlet specifies, however, that no link has been established between his arrival and the appearance of this hand.
The most cautious interpretation remains that this is a visual prompt to use a paid feature. Its appearance while a user is composing a post raises a usability question: capturing attention can also interrupt the task at hand. The reported accounts illustrate this risk without allowing its extent to be measured.