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X is nudging users to promote their posts with a pointing hand, and people are confused

SoftwareOctober 27, 20261 min read

X is showing a pointing hand that aims at its "promote" button while users write posts. Many people find it confusing and annoying.

A pointing hand shows up on X

Over the last 24 hours, a growing number of X users said a mysterious hand suddenly appeared while they were writing a post. The hand points at the "promote" button, which lets users pay to boost a post so more people see it. Many users were irritated. X has not explained why the hand is there.

Key facts

The hand appeared over the last 24 hours, based on user posts.
Peter Sellis posted on Monday that he has taken over as X's product chief.
Nikita Bier left X in August after almost a year as head of product.
X has not responded yet to a request for comment.

Why people think of Nikita Bier

A podcast leader said the hand was the "most Nikita-coded thing I've ever seen." This is a reference to growth tactics linked to Nikita Bier, who ran product at X until August. Growth tactics are methods used to get more users to use an app or spend money on it.

Why it matters

Pushy design can annoy users and make them trust an app less. Some people may also be scared off from paying to promote a post after seeing the hand. The hand also shows how X is trying to earn more money from its users.

What to watch

Whether X explains the hand or removes it.
Whether Peter Sellis had a role in the change.
Whether users keep complaining or the hand stays on the screen.

Glossary

X: A social media app where people post short messages and updates.
promote: A paid option that makes a post reach more people.
Nikita Bier: X's former head of product, who left the platform in August.
Peter Sellis: A former head of product at Snap and Discord who now says he leads product at X.
growth tactics: Ways of getting more users to use an app or spend money on it.
product chief: The leader in charge of deciding how an app works and what features it has.

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