Elon Musk's X alters porn policy, adapts system which blocks under-18 users

Elon Musk’s social media platform X has now officially permitted pornographic content on its platform, however, it added that all adult and violent posts will be blocked from users who are below the age of 18 or those who have not opted to see it.

On Monday (June 3), the company announced the new policies which will formalise what will remain viewable on the social media platform.

These new policies have been introduced amid increasing pressure from regulators on platforms around the world to stop children from getting access to inappropriate content on social media.

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The social media platform X, historically, has not stopped people from sharing adult content on the platform. Social media platform X has been used by sex workers, who use subscription services such as OnlyFans, to promote their work for years.

How X will deal with pornographic content?

The users of X, who share adult content - which includes nudity and implied or explicit sexual acts - have been asked by the social media platform to adjust media settings so that a content warning appears before their images and videos for users before they are viewed.

Users, who are below the age of 18 or those who have not added a birthdate to their profile, will not be able to view this content.

According to X, it will detect what users are posting and state that if users fail to mark pornographic posts appropriately then “we will adjust your account settings for you”.

The platform has had similar rules for violent contentwhich includes violent speech or media - which includes what threatens, incites, glorifies or expresses any kind of desire for violence or harm.

Eventeens have reported seeing the circulation of more pornographic material on social media platform X in comparison to adult sites.

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Australia’s online safety regulator Julie Inman Grant, last week, said that Apple and Google made financial motivesto keep both X and Reddit on their app stores even though they host adult content – which she added violated both app store policies.

“There’s a huge disincentive right now for the app stores to actually follow their own [policies]. They collect a 30% tithe from every transaction that happens on a social media site … Think about the force multiplier of deplatforming an app and what that would mean to their revenue," she said.

(With inputs from agencies)