X’s Giant Pointing Hand Pushes Paid Post Promotion and Startles Users
X is testing a giant pointing hand that steers users to paid post promotion, drawing jump scare complaints as Peter Sellis takes over product leadership.
Summary
During the 24 hours before October 27, 2026, a growing number of X users encountered a giant, unexplained hand pointing at the paid Promote button while composing posts. Tom Warren, Molly O’Shea, Matt Slotnick, Dak and Ershad Kaleebullah shared complaints on October 26 and 27, describing an obstructive jump scare. Kaleebullah said it appeared when his draft included “engagement farming.” A Halloween prank remains possible, but X has neither explained the feature nor responded to a request for comment, and the aggressive prompt could deter even users prepared to buy promotion.
TBPN podcast president Dylan Abruscato called the tactic intrusive but effective and “Nikita coded,” referencing growth tactics associated with former X product chief Nikita Bier. Bier departed in August after almost a year leading product. On Monday, October 26, Bier’s former boss Peter Sellis, previously product chief at Snap and Discord, announced that he had taken charge of X product. Sellis connected his appointment to SpaceX’s mission and the idea of making X posting multiplanetary, but it remains unclear whether he introduced the pointing hand.
Positives
- X’s Promote button gives users a direct route to purchase wider distribution for individual posts.
- Dylan Abruscato described the intrusive prompt as effective despite its obstructive design.
- Peter Sellis took charge of X product after previously leading product at Snap and Discord.
Risks & concerns
- A giant pointing hand is obstructing X’s post composer and startling a growing number of users.
- Tom Warren, Molly O’Shea, Matt Slotnick, Dak and Ershad Kaleebullah publicly complained about the interface.
- The aggressive prompt could discourage users who might otherwise pay to promote posts.
- X has not explained whether the hand is a Halloween prank, experiment or permanent feature.
- Peter Sellis’s involvement remains unclear following his October 26 appointment as X product chief.