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

Key points

• X users report a large pointing hand appearing over the promote button while composing posts.
• The hand has confused and annoyed users, and some joked it looked like a Halloween prank.
• It is unclear whether the feature is linked to new product chief Peter Sellis, who took over Monday.

X users have reported over the last 24 hours that a large pointing hand suddenly appears on screen while they are writing a post, directing attention to the platform's promote button. The prompt has confused and annoyed users across the board, according to posts shared on the platform.

X has not said why the hand appears. With Halloween approaching, the article notes it could be a prank, though the company has not confirmed that. Even users who wanted to promote a post and spend money might be put off by the hand.

Users react to the hand

Several users posted screenshots and complaints about the hand, with one writing that a massive hand popped up while they were about to tweet. Another asked why a man was pointing on their screen, and one said they would have watched a horror movie if they wanted jump scares.

One user noted the hand appeared when the words engagement farming were in the tweet. The article says the prompt is obstructive but potentially effective at driving promotion.

The most Nikita coded thing I’ve ever seen. So obstructive, yet so effective

— Dylan Abruscato

Leadership change at X

Dylan Abruscato, president of the TBPN podcast, called the engagement trick the most Nikita-coded thing I've ever seen, referring to Nikita Bier, X's former head of product. Bier left the platform in August after almost a year in the role.

On Monday, Peter Sellis, Bier's former boss and ex-head of product for Snap and Discord, posted that he has taken over as X's product chief. It is unclear whether the hand is Sellis's doing. X has been contacted for comment.