In yet another controversial move, Elon Musk‘s redesign of the platform formerly known as Twitter, now called X, is raising concerns about its impact on users with disabilities. This time, the changes come in the name of “aesthetics.”

Recently, X introduced a new format for displaying links in posts, removing all headlines and subheader text. Instead, it only shows the article’s header image with a publication’s watermark. While this change might be seen as a step towards a sleeker design, it has significant implications for users considering clicking on external links.

What’s most concerning is that this alteration further disregards the needs of X users with disabilities, especially those who rely on assistive technologies such as screen readers and VoiceOver.

Elon Musk had previously expressed his intention to devalue third-party links on X. In a tweet on October 3, he stated, “Our algorithm tries to optimize time spent on X, so links don’t get as much attention because there is less time spent if people click away. Best thing is to post content in long form on this platform.“

This change is just one in a series that has seen X moving away from its commitment to accessibility. This includes disbanding Twitter’s accessibility team (@TwitterA11y) and transitioning towards paid models that limit access to former Twitter APIs, hindering the efforts of accessibility advocates in creating a more inclusive platform.

By Thursday, users were expressing widespread frustration with the new format, even using its context-less nature to spread memes and misinformation.

Many users pointed out that the update severely impairs assistive technology’s functionality in navigating the platform. Developer and X user @MattEason tweeted, “The X/Twitter update to remove headlines from link previews has also completely broken their accessibility. The link/image can’t be tabbed to with the keyboard, and it’s been totally hidden from screen readers.“

Users also noted inconsistencies in link functionality between the mobile and desktop versions of the site. For those who rely on Apple’s VoiceOver, interacting with links became a challenge, as the screen reader only identified the new format as “link, image” without further information about the link’s destination.

Moreover, these header images no longer include X’s “ALT” badge, which is used to indicate when an image has custom alt text for users who are blind. This design choice might incentivize publications to embed headlines or text within header images, bypassing the preview limitations. However, users with assistive technology won’t be able to access this custom alternative text when interacting with these images, if it’s even provided.

Disability blogger Holly Tuke (@lifeofablindgrl) expressed her dismay, saying, “The latest Twitter update to remove headlines from link previews is a telling example of aesthetics over accessibility. That’s what happens when you no longer have a dedicated accessibility team.“

Alexa Heinrich, creator of the Accessible Social resource hub, called the decision “horrible for accessibility and user experience in general.“

Despite these challenges, some users have shared workarounds, including adding context to written posts to clarify link destinations, placing links at the top of posts, or duplicating links if they appear at the end of a block of text.

Developer Matt Easton has even created a tool to format links more accessibly until X addresses the issue of large image links.

Elon Musk’s decision to prioritize aesthetics over accessibility is concerning, especially as he champions “citizen journalism” and expresses disdain for “legacy news” sites. His recent call for people to engage in “citizen journalism” on X raises questions about who can participate when fundamental site functionality is stripped away.