Is “posts with links are penalized” on X a myth? Head of Product denies it

Among some users, a theory has been spreading that when you post on X with a link, the algorithm down-scores it, making the post less likely to gain traction.

However, X Head of Product Nikita Bier posted “Links are not deboosted” on his own X account, denying this theory.

The theory that posts containing links are penalized stems from a rumor among some users as well as Elon Musk’s claim that posts containing links are deprioritized, so it is better to put links in a reply.

However, in this article where I examined the recommendation algorithm X has published, it reported that there is no code that penalizes posts with links and that they are instead given positive weight.

【2025年版】Xのおすすめアルゴリズムを徹底解剖！ポストをバズらせる方法とは

X（旧Twitter）は2025年9月9日、おすすめアルゴリズムの最新バージョンを公開しました。この記事では、更新されたおすすめアルゴリズムの詳細を解説し、ポストを伸ばす方法を紹介します。

September 11, 2025

That said, because processing by machine learning models is included in addition to hard-coded penalties/bonuses, the article concluded that it is unknown whether posts containing links ultimately become more or less likely to be included in recommendations.

Bier noted that the reach of posts with links becomes lower, and said this is because when users view the link they forget to like or reply to the original post, so the system cannot obtain a clear signal of whether the post is good.

As a countermeasure, X has begun testing on iOS keeping part of the post visible at the bottom of the screen while users are viewing the destination web page.

X tests keeping the original post visible while viewing links, starting with iOS

Nikita Bier, X's head of product, posted on his X account that they are starting an iOS test to let followers easily react to the original post while viewing a link.

October 20, 2025

While stating that X is not deboosting links, Bier also said they are trying to fix the low engagement of posts that include links.

Jay Baxter, a Senior Staff ML Engineer at X, posted, “It’s not widely enough known that organic like rates on posts with links are naturally lower even without any algorithmic penalty” and “this UI that makes the like button visible while reading links could fix their reach.”

Summarizing this information, it looks like this.

• X is not intentionally deboosting (downscoring) posts that include links
• When users view the linked web page they forget to react to the original post
• As a result, posts that include links have lower reach and engagement

Bier has stated that the goal is to ensure all content on the platform has equal visibility in the timeline, and the reach and engagement of posts that include links are expected to improve going forward.