Fact Check

Does Twitter's 'Like' Button Become an 'X' When You Press It?

Some social media users apparently found a deceptive way to get more likes.

Published July 26, 2023

 (Twitter user @himewyd)
Image courtesy of Twitter user @himewyd
Claim:
In July 2023, Twitter's "like" button in the shape of a heart turned into the company's new "X" logo when pressed.

In July 2023, Elon Musk announced that Twitter would be rebranding as "X," spurring numerous discussions about the future of the social media platform and how it's used. One particular rumor went viral, gaining millions of viewsclaiming this: If you click the "like" button in the shape of a heart underneath tweets, the button would change into an "X".

One social media account wrote, "Apparently the like button is now an ? and not a heart… like to see if it works for you #TwitterX" — encouraging social media users to "like" the post. Others commented, "Wow, they've completely revamped the like button animation!"

We clicked the "like" button on several tweets ourselves and saw that it did not change into an "X." Moreover, we found no official statements from Twitter, nor any reputable sources, substantiating the claim. At the time of this writing, Twitter's Help Center page said, by tapping the heart icon to "like" a tweet, the button would turn red.

As such, we rated this rumor "False."

(Twitter Help Center Screenshot)

Similar false claims about Twitter's "like" button surfaced in July 2023. For example, posts claimed that the button would turn into a Roblox animation or a sports logo.

We previously fact-checked other false rumors about Twitter's rebranding, including one that claimed a "tweet" was now a "xeet." We also debunked a false claim that an episode of The Simpsons predicted Twitter's rebranding to "X."

Aleksandra Wrona is a reporting fellow for Snopes, based in the Warsaw area.