Tue, 01 Jul 2025

Tue, 01 Jul 2025 Musk's X appoints 'king of virality' in bid to draw in younger users

Nikita Bier has previously developed platforms that have proved popular with teen users.
Nikita Bier, a successful product developer with expertise in youth-focused social media apps, has been appointed as X's new head of product. The move comes three years after he publicly expressed interest in working for the platform on X (then known as Twitter). In his announcement post, Bier quipped that he had "officially posted his way to the top". Experts believe that Bier's appointment could boost X's prospects with younger users, who are a key demographic. His experience in developing engaging features, such as anonymous polling, makes him well-suited to help turn around the platform's fortunes. However, some caution that translating this expertise into tangible growth and user retention will require more immediate changes, including content formats, brand safety controls, and monetization options for creators. Bier has a track record of developing popular social media apps, including tbh, which was acquired by Meta in 2017, and Gas, which was bought by Discord in 2023. His appointment is seen as a significant move in X's bid to regain its position as a leading social network.
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