X (previously Twitter) has long had several active NSFW (not safe for work) communities, and while the social network informally allowed pornographic content, its policies have never banned it
That has begun to change. X added clauses to its rules over the weekend with a few exceptions, formally permitting users to publish explicit and mature material on the platform. Users can now post consensual NSFW content, provided that it is clearly labeled as such. The new regulations also apply to images and videos generated by AI.
Since X, under the leadership of Elon Musk, has previously experimented with formally hosting explicit content with NSFW communities, the modification to the regulations is not entirely unexpected.
“Consumers should be able to generate, disseminate, and view content about sexual themes, provided such content is produced and distributed with consent.” The page on X’s ‘adult content’ policies states,
“Visual or written sexual expression may be a valid form of artistic expression.”
Our stance is that adults should be free to interact with and produce material that mirrors their convictions, preferences, and life encounters, including matters about sexuality. The page states,
“To maintain a balance, we restrict adult content exposure for children and adult users who choose not to view it.”
While the guidelines for X’s violent content rules are comparable, X states that the material must not be “excessively gory or depicting sexual violence.” Content that explicitly instigates or glorifies violence remains prohibited on the platform.
The company permits graphic content so that users may engage in discussions about current events while also being able to upload and share videos and images.
Users can designate their posts as sensitive media, and access to these posts is restricted to those over 18 and those who have not provided their birth dates on their profiles.
X has never outright prohibited porn, but these clauses could enable it to construct services around adult content; for instance, it could create a competitor to OnlyFans to increase revenue.
According to a Reuters report that cited internal company documents, approximately thirteen percent of platform posts contained explicit content in 2022. It appears that adult content on X has increased since then, particularly since the proliferation of porn proxies on the platform.
With the official authorization of explicit content on the social network, X will undoubtedly be subject to regulatory scrutiny as they scrutinize its endeavors to remove child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and non-consensual porn.
In October of last year, X was fined by Australia for neglecting to disclose child abuse content. Concurrently, India notified several social networks, including X, instructing them to remove CSAM from their platforms.
