Some updates in user interfaces, like vibrant buttons encouraging subscriptions, can be mildly bothersome but often overlooked. However, certain changes can be so intrusive that they provoke an intense reaction. X’s recent initiative to encourage users to promote their posts falls into this latter category.
In the past day, numerous users have reported an unexpected hand graphic pointing at the “promote” button appearing while they were composing posts, much to their dismay.
With Halloween approaching, this could be perceived as a prank intended to unsettle users, although X has not confirmed this. Even those interested in promoting their posts might hesitate after seeing the unexpected hand gesture.
Dylan Abruscato, president of the TBPN podcast, described this engagement strategy as the “most Nikita-coded thing I’ve ever seen,” referencing the aggressive growth methods employed by Nikita Bier, X’s former product lead.
Bier departed the platform in August after nearly a year in charge. Recently, Peter Sellis, who previously led products at Snap and Discord, announced his new role as product chief at X.
It remains uncertain if the hand feature originates from Sellis. We have reached out to X for clarification and will provide updates should we receive a response.
