In recent days, the platform X (formerly Twitter) has become the subject of heated discussion following an interview with Nikita Bier, head of product at X, conducted by Alex Heath. Bier revealed plans for a thorough overhaul of the recommendation algorithm, which could bring significant changes for content publishers, journalists and media outlets. In this article, we look at these changes and analyze what they mean for the visibility of links to articles and whether the era of „penalties” for sharing external links is really coming to an end.
A ground-up rebuild of the algorithm
X plans a complete reconstruction of its recommendation algorithm, drawing inspiration from Tesla’s approach to Full Self-Driving (FSD). As Bier explains, the new system will be based solely on user behavior – „bits in, bits out”. This means that the algorithm will be trained on the basis of interactions such as likes, reposts and comments. If a user engages with a post containing a link, that content will be shown to similar users, without manual intervention or keyword-based rules.
The key change is the elimination of the old moderation mechanisms from the Twitter era. There will be no more „keywords” or manual lowering of post visibility. Bier stresses that the algorithm will have no technical ability to apply moderation rules or rank content based on keywords or website addresses. This is a direct directive from Elon Musk, aimed at making the platform more neutral and based on free speech.
In practice, this means an end to „penalties” for sharing external links. In the past, posts containing links to articles often had limited reach, which forced publishers to resort to tricks such as posting screenshots instead of direct links. Now, according to Bier, such practices will no longer be necessary, and referral traffic (traffic sent from X to external sites) has already grown.
Emphasis on authenticity
The „About This Account” feature is meant to provide greater transparency by labeling accounts according to their geographic origin. This is meant to help users verify sources, which is consistent with Musk’s vision of a free speech platform, without suspending accounts over their views, but with an emphasis on authenticity.
Journalists and publishers are seen as key to X, which is number one among news apps in 157 countries. Their activity provides a „complete picture” of events, and the return of media could strengthen the platform. Bier admits that trust must be rebuilt among this group, which largely left for competitors such as Mastodon, Bluesky or Threads after Musk took over Twitter.
Greater link visibility and an end to reach cuts?
The key question for publishers is whether these changes will bring greater visibility to links to articles. Based on Bier’s statements, yes. The lack of domain-based ranking means that posts with links will not be automatically downgraded by the algorithm. Instead, their reach will depend solely on user engagement. If content is valuable and generates interactions, the algorithm will promote it.
This is a potential end to „cutting reach for links”. Previously, Twitter’s algorithm penalized external links, which discouraged sharing full articles. Now, with the new approach, publishers can count on natural traffic growth. Alex Heath, the author of the interview, notes growth in traffic referred to his own website from X, which confirms the positive effects.
The future of X and advice for publishers
X is aiming for self-sustaining profitability, without reliance on xAI funds. Musk remains „extraordinarily involved”, meeting with Bier several times a week.
For publishers, this is an opportunity to return to X as a central news hub. The advice? Focus on engaging content and monitor traffic from X. If the algorithm is truly neutral, links to articles will gain visibility, ending the era of artificial restrictions.
Source: Interview with Nikita Bier, interview summary on X
