X now shows a 'pointing hand' at the Promote button while composing posts — users are baffled

An unexpected 'hand' appears while composing a post

Over the past day, X has seen a growing number of reports about an unusual interface element: while writing a post, a large hand suddenly appears on the screen, pointing at the Promote button — a paid tool for boosting posts. TechCrunch reports this, citing screenshots from several users, including The Verge editor Tom Warren, who noted that the 'massive hand' appeared just as he was about to write a tweet. Reactions range from bewilderment ('Why is there a person pointing on my screen?!') to annoyance: one user joked to Elon Musk that if he wanted 'jump scares,' he would have watched a horror movie instead of opening X.

Who is behind the change — unknown

The reason for the hand's appearance remains unclear. TechCrunch suggests that, on the eve of Halloween, it could have been a prank, but X has given no confirmation; the outlet also notes that even users willing to spend money on promotion may be put off by such a tactic. One user who spotted the hand added that it appeared 'conveniently' exactly when his post contained the words 'engagement farming.' The outlet has requested comment from X and promised to update the story if a response comes. No direct connection to Uzbekistan or other countries is mentioned in the reports — the matter concerns the platform's interface, which is available to users globally.

A product leadership change amid the noise

Whether the hand's appearance coincided with a change in the product team is unknown, but the context is telling. TBPN podcast president Dylan Abruscato called the tactic 'the most Nikita thing' he had ever seen — a reference to the growth tactics associated with Nikita Bier, the former head of product at X. Bier left the platform in August after leading it for nearly a year. On Monday, October 26, his former boss, ex-head of product at Snap and Discord Peter Sellis, announced that he had taken over as head of product at X, writing that he believes in SpaceX's mission to 'extend human consciousness to the stars,' which is why 'it's time to make shitposting interplanetary.' TechCrunch specifically emphasizes that it is unknown whether the hand has anything to do with Sellis.