X announced Thursday it is testing a new feature designed to highlight posts that draw likes from users who typically share opposing viewpoints. The initiative harnesses the company’s crowdsourced “Community Notes” system, originally designed to flag content identified by users as misleading or inaccurate.
Under this experimental program, a selected group of Community Notes contributors will receive notifications inviting them to rate and comment on specific posts based upon patterns revealed by initial likes. Contributors will be prompted to provide nuanced feedback, choosing from categories such as “I learned something interesting” or “I don’t agree with it.”
The aim, according to X, is to develop a robust, community-informed algorithm capable of pinpointing posts that resonate broadly, even among ideologically diverse groups.
“People often feel the world is divided, yet Community Notes has demonstrated that people can agree even on contentious subjects,” the company explained in a statement. “This experimental feature seeks to uncover ideas, insights, and views capable of bridging divides. It may encourage broader sharing of these posts and, ultimately, contribute to more constructive dialogue.”
Originally launched in 2022 following Elon Musk’s acquisition of the platform, Community Notes represented X’s shift away from traditional methods of content moderation. The feature has since found traction elsewhere, being adopted by Meta for use within Facebook, Instagram and Threads.
