Twitter Might Be Taking Away Its Iconic “Like” Button
Remember when you used to say things like “I liked this on Twitter,” or counting the likes of a tweet? Those days are potentially gone.
Earlier this week, the social media platform released a statement referencing the possible removal of the like feature. Saying that the purpose is to “[Rethink] everything about the service to ensure we are incentivizing (sic) healthy conversation.” Considering that Twitter has been under intense scrutiny over the past few years, it’s not surprising that the company is trying to rebrand its imaging. Many Twitter users were less than pleased, insinuating that the move wouldn't bring about any real change.
Social media itself is built on interactions between people, so the removal of this swift means of communication is not insignificant. Whether this is Twitter’s way of distancing itself from controversial dialogues or a means to please internal dialogue—it's too early to tell.
Ultimately, this could trigger a massive user move towards another platform. And with new apps and platforms popping up left and right, Twitter should be careful before making its next move. We also can't help but wonder, is Instagram next?