X testing 'dislike' button for improved reply ranking

Although not officially announced, recent discoveries suggest the feature may be presented as a "dislike" button rather than a traditional Reddit-style downvote icon.

Code references in the X iOS app reveal a broken heart icon positioned next to the platform's heart-shaped "like" button, along with explicit mentions of a "downvote" feature.

X initially experimented with downvoting in 2021, prior to Musk's acquisition. The original test included both upvoting and downvoting options across all posts. The current iteration seems to focus solely on allowing downvotes for replies, with the goal of elevating more popular replies and pushing less favored ones down the thread. This could discourage users from posting content designed to provoke negative reactions.

This new feature aligns with other recent changes to X's "likes" system under Musk's ownership, including hiding likes from public view to allow users to like content more freely without impacting their image.