Elon Musk changed X’s like button for US elections? Truth behind viral claim

With the close race to the White House on, some social media users have claimed that X boss Elon Musk has changed a significant feature on the microblogging site formerly known as Twitter. Users claimed that Musk changed the “like” button for the 2024 US presidential elections.
Videos doing the rounds on X show the like button turn into an animation of a ballot box when its pressed.
“I thought it was a lie, but come on it’s real. Elon Musk has changed the like button for the United States Elections,” read one comment.
“OMG!! Elon Musk changed the Like Button for real to Support Trump,” wrote another user.
The claims quickly went viral on social media and saw hundreds of thousands of users respond to the posts but there is no official confirmation of any alterations to X’s like feature. Many users reported not seeing any changes on the heart animation and claimed that the viral claims were a way to get more engagement on posts.
Similar claims were also made on October 31 when several users shared a picture of a pumpkin animation, claiming that the like button on X was turned into a smiling pumpkin for Halloween. It is unclear if any such changes were implemented to mark the holiday.
(Also read: Top 5 predictions for who will win US election: From Moo Deng to AI Nostradamus)
Meanwhile, Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are in a neck-and-neck contest for high-stakes 2024 US Presidential election. Voting began today in what is being called the “closest race in US history.” Since the contest is tight, clear results will emerge over the next few days.
X owner Elon Musk has thrown his weight behind Republican candidate Donald Trump who is seeking a comeback to the White House after he was defeated in 2020 by US president Joe Biden. Musk has grown increasingly vocal against Trump’s rival Kamala Harris, even claiming that X will be shut down and he will be jailed if she is elected president.