Twitter to remove ‘like’ button to try and improve debate

Twitter is planning to remove the ability to “like” tweets in a move that aims to improve the quality of debate on the social network.

Founder Jack Dorsey last week admitted at a Twitter event that he was not a fan of the heart-shaped button and that it would be getting rid of it “soon”.

The feature was introduced in 2015 to replace “favorites”.

Previously, favourites let users click a star-shaped button which would bookmark tweets to read later.

Facebook brought in the original ‘like’ button when it launched.

Since then each and every social media service have mimicked it

However, psychologists have indicated this may be the cause of social media addiction among users who crave acceptance and interaction from their colleagues.

For a long time, the 11th like was the key for people on Instagram.

10 likes and you could see the names of people who had liked publicly when it ticked to 11, they went away.

In March 2018 Twitter introduced “bookmarks” for saving tweets, signalling a pivot to a new system.

A Twitter spokesman said:

“At this point, there is no specific timeline for changes or particular planned changes to discuss.

“We’re experimenting and considering numerous possible changes, all with an eye toward ensuring we’re incentivising the right behaviors to drive healthy conversation.”

Dorsey, a billionaire who also runs payment company Square, is under serious pressure to clean up his platform.

Twitter came under fire when Russian trolls used it to spread fake news ahead of the US election and the European referendum in 2016.

Many people link the rise of Donald Trump to these Russian bots.

It has become an easy hiding place for cyberbullies.

Some celebrities have ended up deleting their accounts after incessant harbadment from Twitter “trolls”.

Dorsey also hinted that he will be bringing in an option to edit tweets, change the verification process so that a blue tick is no longer a preserve of celebrities and “influencers” and that it could change how users’ follower counts are displayed.