X may introduce a dislike button instead of typical downvote icon

X, formerly known as Twitter, is currently working on a downvoting feature to enhance the ranking of replies. Although an official announcement has not been made yet, recent findings suggest that the downvote feature might resemble a "dislike" button rather than a typical downvote icon seen on platforms like Reddit. Code references discovered in the X iOS app reveal the inclusion of a broken heart icon next to X's heart-shaped "like" button, along with explicit mentions of a "downvote" feature. This is reported by SSP.

In 2021, prior to Elon Musk's acquisition, Twitter experimented with downvoting, testing both upvoting and downvoting buttons across all posts. However, the latest tests indicate that X is considering implementing downvotes exclusively on replies. This approach aims to highlight top-quality replies and push less-popular ones further down a thread. By doing so, X hopes to discourage the posting of content specifically aimed at inciting anger and generating dislikes for the sake of engagement.

Reverse engineer Aaron Perris (@aaronp613) recently discovered references to a downvote feature under development within X's iOS app. Perris also uncovered image files suggesting that the button may be styled as a broken heart, further reinforcing the likelihood of a "dislike" concept.

Screenshots shared on X revealed various new references to the "downvoting" function, accompanied by prompts asking users to confirm their downvotes. For instance, one prompt asks, "Do you want to downvote this post?" while another straightforwardly instructs users to "Downvote this post."

The language used in these references notably mentions "posts," leaving room for speculation about whether X intends to introduce the downvote feature for all posts or solely for replies.

Another X user, @P4mui, shared videos showcasing the dislike button in action, including one where a user requested their reply to be downvoted. The availability of the button seemed to be limited to replies for now, but it remains uncertain whether this will change in the future.

Reports also emerged of the dislike button being spotted on an X employee's account. The employee had shared a video demonstration of a new method to expand replies, but the post was swiftly deleted and re-uploaded without the dislike button visible.

Given the increasing number of sightings, it suggests that public testing of the dislike button is likely underway.

Interestingly, X has made other modifications to its "likes" system since Musk's ownership. One recent change involved hiding likes from public view, empowering individuals to like more "edgy" content while protecting their image, as Musk expressed.