X's Link Suppression Policy Leads to 1,700% View Disparity, Prompting New Handling Tests

X, formerly Twitter, is facing renewed scrutiny over its policy of deboosting external links, a practice one observer has dubbed a "McNamara fallacy." The critique, articulated by Gurwinder, suggests that while the platform's algorithm may boost short-term on-platform engagement metrics, it risks alienating content creators and diminishing X's long-term utility. This comes as X's Head of Product recently announced tests for new ways to handle web links, aiming for "equal visibility."

The "McNamara fallacy" refers to an over-reliance on quantifiable metrics while ignoring crucial, less measurable aspects. Gurwinder stated in a recent post, "> Deboosting links is a classic McNamara fallacy. It keeps users on X in the short term, which can be easily measured. But in the long term it reduces X’s utility and its importance to content creators, which can't be directly captured by metrics, so are ignored." This sentiment resonates with many creators who have observed a significant reduction in reach for posts containing external links.

Evidence supporting the deboosting claim emerged from an A/B test conducted by Jesse Colombo, who observed a striking 1,700% increase in views for a post without an external link compared to an almost identical one that included a link. This dramatic disparity highlights the platform's algorithmic preference for keeping users within the app, a strategy acknowledged by X owner Elon Musk to maximize "unregretted user-seconds" and increase ad revenue. Publishers and journalists, who historically used X to drive traffic to their own content, have voiced frustration, with some considering alternative platforms.

Amidst ongoing criticism, X's Head of Product, Nikita Bier, announced in October 2025 that the platform would be testing changes to how it handles web links. Bier stated the goal is "to ensure all content on the platform has equal visibility on Timeline," despite previously denying intentional deboosting. This move suggests a potential softening of X's stance, aiming to address concerns from creators whose posts with links often suffer from lower engagement.

The upcoming tests and the platform's evolving approach to external links will be crucial in determining X's future relationship with content creators. While the company aims to boost retention and revenue by keeping users on its platform, balancing this objective with the needs of creators who rely on external traffic remains a significant challenge. The outcome of these tests could redefine X's role in the digital content ecosystem.