X removes article headlines in latest platform update
San Francisco (AP): X, formerly known as Twitter, has stopped showing headlines on articles shared on the platform. Now, X only displays an article's lead image and a link to the story.
Plans for the change were first reported by Fortune in August, when owner Elon Musk confirmed in a tweet that he thought the change which came from him "directly" would "greatly improve the esthetics" of posts.
Linked articles now appear as an image, and include text in the left-hand corner noting the domain of the link. Users must click on the image if they wish to visit the full article, which could lead to confusion.
Musk's platform has been the target of a lot of criticism recently, including accusations by a top European Union official who said that X has "the largest ratio of mis-or disinformation posts".
The Anti-Defamation League, a prominent Jewish civil-rights organisation, has accused Musk of allowing antisemitism and hate speech to spread on the platform.
Musk's latest decision builds on the growing rift between the platform and news organisations who for years used it to build their audiences. Among his more controversial moves was a decision to upend the site's verification system.
Under Twitter's previous leadership, journalists no matter how small their outlet could receive a blue checkmark next to their username that verified they were who they said they were. Celebrities and other public figures could also receive a verification. That changed when Musk ended the verification process and Twitter started doling out blue checkmarks to anyone who wanted one without verifying their identity as long as they pay a monthly subscription fee.
Musk has also gutted the team that had been responsible for moderating the content flowing across the platform, temporarily suspended accounts of journalists and has appeared to throttle, or slow down access to links, to media sites such as The New York Times.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
BJP disassociates itself with Nishikant Dubey's criticism of Supreme Court, says it respects courts
New Delhi, Apr 19 (PTI): The BJP on Saturday disassociated itself with the sharp criticism of the Supreme Court and Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna by its MPs Nishikant Dubey and Dinesh Sharma, with party president J P Nadda rejecting the comments as their personal views.
"The BJP has nothing to do with the comments of MPs Nishikant Dubey and Dinesh Sharma on the judiciary and the chief justice. This is their personal comments, but the BJP neither agrees with them nor does it ever support such remarks. The BJP absolutely rejects them," Nadda said in a post on X.
He said the BJP has always respected the judiciary and has accepted its suggestions and orders gladly because it believes as a party all the courts, including the apex court, are an inseparable part of our democracy.
Nadda also said that he has directed both the leaders and others to not make such comments.
Fourth-term BJP MP Dubey, one of the more vocal party members in the Lok Sabha, launched a broadside against the Supreme Court earlier, saying Parliament and state assemblies should be closed down if the apex court has to make the laws.
He also took a swipe at CJI Khanna.
भाजपा सांसद निशिकांत दुबे और दिनेश शर्मा का न्यायपालिका एवं देश के चीफ जस्टिस पर दिए गए बयान से भारतीय जनता पार्टी का कोई लेना–देना नहीं है। यह इनका व्यक्तिगत बयान है, लेकिन भाजपा ऐसे बयानों से न तो कोई इत्तेफाक रखती है और न ही कभी भी ऐसे बयानों का समर्थन करती है। भाजपा इन बयान…
— Jagat Prakash Nadda (@JPNadda) April 19, 2025
