X Updates Its Policies To Officially Allow Pornography And Other Adult Content

X is social media platform, known for being at the epicenter of debates.

Formerly known as Twitter, X has long 'allowed pornographic posts. Since Elon Musk took over, adult content continue being posted regularly on the platform.

Even suggested searches that can come up on the feed, in the trending topic, and in replies to posts, X can occasionally insert pornographic content.

But X has never explicitly permitted these things by its rules.

Now, this is changing.

In a webpage on its Help Center, X said that users "may share consensually produced and distributed adult nudity or sexual behavior, provided it's properly labeled and not prominently displayed."

Sex is a natural and fundamental aspect of human life. It plays critical roles in both the biological and social aspects of humanity's existence.

Besides reproduction, sex also affects the hormones, both the psychological and emotional aspects of the individuals, allow greater intimacy and connection, acts as a stress relief, a boost in confidence, and more.

While sex is inseparable from humans, not everyone wants to see sex depicted in media.

The internet is already cluttered with pornography, and that pretty much everyone with an internet access can view those things.

Major social media platforms have long been trying to avoid pornography altogether, for this reason.

Social media platforms are meant to be a townhall, where people of all ages can come together to communicate. And pornography can deter this.

This is why only a handful of social media platforms with little restriction regarding pornography remain.

And here, X seems to be willingly enter that small group.

But to ensure a safe experience for all, X is also balancing this freedom.

The social media said that it's restricting exposure to Adult Content for children or adult users who choose not to see it. X also prohibits content promoting exploitation, nonconsent, objectification, sexualization or harm to minors, and obscene behaviors.

It also prohibits users from sharing Adult Content in highly visible places, such as on their profile photos or banners.

According to X, it defines Adult Content as "any consensually produced and distributed material depicting adult nudity or sexual behavior that is pornographic or intended to cause sexual arousal."

"This also applies to AI-generated, photographic or animated content such as cartoons, hentai, or anime."

Some examples, include full or partial nudity, including close-ups of genitals, buttocks, or breasts; as well as explicit or implied sexual behavior or simulated acts such as sexual intercourse and other sexual acts.

To mark their content as porn, users, like those who regularly post adult content on X, need to adjust their media settings.

"Doing so places all your images and videos behind a content warning that needs to be acknowledged before your media can be viewed. You can also add a one-time content warning on individual posts. If you continue to fail marking your posts, we will adjust your account settings for you," X explained.

"Users under 18 or viewers who do not include a birth date on their profile cannot click to view marked content."

To differentiate what is Adult Content and what is sensitive content, X is also introducing a new media content warnings on posts that it has designated as containing Adult Content. The warnings are different from its generic sensitive media label.

"If you continue to fail marking your posts, we will adjust your account settings for you," said X in the policy update.

Other X users can report unmarked adult content or other violations using the app’s reporting features.

The company added that users may appeal a decision “If you believe we made a mistake.”