Billionaire Elon Musk’s social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, has officially allowed the posting of indecent – NSFW (Not Safe for Work) – content, with certain restrictions.
According to the updated usage policies, X has permitted the sharing of “consensually produced and distributed adult nudity or sexual behavior, provided it’s properly labeled and not prominently displayed.”
The platform stated that it believes in the autonomy of adults to engage with and create content that reflects their own beliefs, desires, and experiences, including those related to “sexuality.” But the social media giant has also put in place measures to restrict the exposure of such content to minors and users who have opted out of viewing it.
The policy update further clarifies that X will not tolerate content that promotes “exploitation, non-consent, objectification, sexualization, or harm to minors, as well as obscene behaviours.” Users are required to properly label their adult content and can also add a one-time content warning on individual posts.
Brooke Erin Duffy, an associate professor of communication at Cornell University, is of the view that such a move by X “dovetails well with the company’s post-Musk marketing strategy,” as it seeks to distinguish itself from “brand-safe” competitors like Meta, YouTube, and TikTok.
The decision to allow adult content on the platform comes after Twitter, prior to Musk’s takeover, already had a significant presence of such content, estimated at around 13% of all posts on the platform.
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X’s policy update aims to create a balanced approach, ensuring the freedom of expression for adults while also protecting minors and those who choose not to engage with adult content. The platform has encouraged users to properly label their posts and has warned of potential account adjustments for those who fail to do so.
“If you believe we made a mistake,” the company said and added that it would adjust settings for users if they fail to mark adult posts.
