So much for free speech, huh. Elon Musk’s X is reportedly preventing users from posting links to the popular encrypted messaging app, Signal.
“Something went wrong, but don’t fret — let’s give it another shot,” an error message reads when attempting to post any URLs containing the “signal.me” domain. The block, first spotted by journalist Matt Binder, applies to posts, DMs and even profile descriptions.
“This request looks like it might be automated,” an error reads when sending DMs containing Signal’s domain. “To protect our users from spam and other malicious activity, we can’t complete this action right now.”
I’ve confirmed X is, indeed, blocking posting links to Signal in Europe.
(I’ve reached out to X for comment and will update this piece accordingly if I hear back.)
Signal.me appears to be the only impacted domain, with X still allowing links to Signal.org, Binder remarks.
Signal Is Not The First App To Get Restricted By X
Signal might be the latest, but not the first app to get restricted by X.
A couple of years back, X briefly blocked links to Instagram, Facebook, Mastodon and other social media competitors.
“We recognize that many of our users are active on other social media platforms. However, we will no longer allow free promotion of certain social media platforms on Twitter,” posted the Twitter — now X — support account. “Specifically, we will remove accounts created solely for the purpose of promoting other social platforms and content that contains links or usernames for the following platforms: Facebook, Instagram, Mastodon, Truth Social, Tribel, Nostr and Post.”
Unlike those platforms, Signal isn’t exactly a rival to X — although it sort of, but not really, supports encrypted messaging.
