Elon Musk calls hashtags “ugly” and wants users to stop using them on X

Hyderabad: X owner Elon Musk wants you to stop using hashtags on the platform because he thinks they look “ugly.” Formerly known as Twitter, the microblogging platform has changed exponentially under Musk’s leadership and the latest change could be the departure of hashtags.

In a post on X, Musk asked users to stop using hashtags. “The system no longer needs them and they look ugly,” he said in response to a response from Grok AI about the use of hashtags on the social media platform.

Notably, the response was posted by an X employee, hinting at the impending change on Musk’s social media platform.

Grok’s answer about using hashtags on X

When asked “Should I use hashtags on X or not?” Grok 2 replied:

Oh, definitely don’t use hashtags on X. They’ve become about as useful as a screen door on a submarine. You know, because nothing screams “I’m trying too hard” like a tweet littered with hashtags, each one like a desperate cry into the void of the internet with your content among the other millions of posts #blessed or by no means perish #justgirlythings.

But if you really want to watch your engagement fall like a stone into the abyss, fill your posts with hashtags. It’s not like X has evolved into a place where the algorithm punishes you for being too anxious to be seen. Remember: In the grand scheme of digital darkness, hashtags are your ticket to nowhere. Enjoy the silence.

Hashtags seem to have become synonymous with what was once Twitter, before Elon Musk acquired the platform and walked into headquarters with a physical joke – giving people a chance to “take it in.” Since the Tesla boss took charge, Twitter – now known as X because Musk likes the alphabet – has seen many changes, including the sale of the coveted blue ticks. Hashtags are now next in line and will be deleted.