The internet has long been a hub for diverse content, including adult material. X (formerly Twitter) has been home to numerous NSFW communities, permitting adult content without explicitly outlining it in their rules. 

The first week of June greeted us with some big changes as recently, X updated its policies to officially allow users to post adult and graphic content officially, provided it meets specific guidelines.

Formal Allowance with Conditions

X now permits the posting of consensually-produced NSFW content, with the stipulation that such content must be clearly labeled. This policy update also encompasses AI-generated videos and images, per Tech Crunch.

Previously, the Elon Musk-owned platform had been experimenting with hosting adult content within NSFW communities on the platform. It might take quite a long time to be official, but now it's been confirmed to be coming.

Related Article: X Tests New Feature to Hide Adult Content in 'NSFW' Groups

Balancing Artistic Expression and User Safety

According to X's page on 'adult content' policies, the platform supports the creation, distribution, and consumption of consensually produced material related to sexual themes, recognizing it as a legitimate form of artistic expression. 

The company emphasizes the importance of user autonomy in engaging with and creating content that reflects their personal beliefs and experiences, including those related to sexuality. However, X is committed to preventing children and users who prefer not to see such content from being exposed to it.

Restrictions on Violent Content

X's guidelines for violent content stipulate that it must not be excessively gory or depict sexual violence. The platform maintains a strict policy against content that threatens, incites, or glorifies violence. These rules aim to allow users to engage in conversations about current events while including relevant images and videos.

User Controls and Content Moderation

To manage sensitive media, X provides users with the ability to mark their posts accordingly. The platform restricts access to sensitive content for users under 18 or those who haven't specified their birth dates. 

While X has never outright banned porn, these new clauses could pave the way for the platform to develop services centered around adult content, potentially creating a competitor to OnlyFans to enhance its revenue streams.

X's Adult Content Posting Under Criticism in 2022

In 2022, approximately 13% of posts on X contained adult content, and this number appears to have increased, partly due to the proliferation of porn bots. 

With the formal allowance of adult content, regulatory bodies are likely to monitor X closely to ensure it effectively prevents the distribution of non-consensual porn and child sexual abuse material (CSAM).

Recent Regulatory Actions

X has faced regulatory actions in the past. Last October, Australia fined X for failing to provide information about child abuse content. Around the same time, India issued notices to multiple social networks, including X, to remove CSAM from their platforms. These actions could mean that no matter how big or small the platform, it needs to comply with content moderation, or else it will be sanctioned.

X's new policies on adult content might be a deal breaker to other users, but this approach is now focused not just on managing NSFW material, but also on regulating it.

While this move aims to balance artistic freedom with user safety, it also places the platform under increased regulatory scrutiny. This is unavoidable at all costs and all X needs to do is to prepare for every criticism thrown at it.

With AI in the driver's seat at present, AI-generated adult content is still on close watch. OpenAI, for instance, is still contemplating this type of content. The ChatGPT maker believes deepfake will still be illegal by any means.

Read Also: Young Voters' TikTok Feed, Riddled With Election Misinformation