Elon Musk's X has officially updated its policies to allow pornographic content, but with restrictions to block users under 18 and those who do not opt in. The new rules, announced on Monday, formalise the platform's approach to adult material following regulatory pressure globally to protect children from inappropriate content.
Historically, X (formerly Twitter) has not prohibited adult content, and sex workers using services like OnlyFans have long promoted their work on the platform. Now, users posting nudity or explicit sexual acts must adjust media settings to place such content behind a warning. Under-18 users and those without a birthdate in their profile will be unable to view it. X stated it will automatically adjust settings for users who fail to mark posts appropriately.
Similar rules apply to violent content, including speech or media that threatens, incites, or glorifies harm. The changes come as research from the UK children's commissioner in January 2023 found that 41% of teenagers aged 16–18 reported seeing pornography on X, compared to 37% on dedicated adult sites.
Last week, Australia's eSafety commissioner Julie Inman Grant claimed Apple and Google have financial motives for keeping X and Reddit on their app stores despite hosting adult content, potentially violating app store policies. She noted the 30% commission on transactions as a disincentive for enforcement. Under Apple's guidelines, apps with user-generated adult content hidden by default may remain, aligning with X's new policy.
X is also in a legal battle with Australia's eSafety commissioner over 65 tweets containing a video of a stabbing attack on a Sydney bishop in April. eSafety has ordered X to remove the content globally, and while X has blocked access in Australia, the regulator argues it should also prevent access via VPN. The case is set for federal court at the end of June.
