X, formerly Twitter, one of the largest and most-used social media platforms, made buzz this week after it formally allowed adult content, raising concerns from users.
The platform was then rebranded after being purchased by business mogul Elon Musk, and have made significant changes emphasizing content monetization and shift in the timeline algorithm.
Another update shocked online users, as Musk-owned app now formally allows explicit content on the platform.
According to the website’s Help Center, distributing materials that are considered as Not Safe For Work (NSFW) and Strong parental guidance (SPG) are finally allowed with the caveat that it should be consensually produced and posted.
Moreover, X assured that this feature will still restrict minors and children from viewing and sharing adult-rated videos, photos, and other posts.
The app has age-preferred settings on their platform, which prohibits people under the age of 18 from accessing certain posts.
“We also prohibit content promoting exploitation, [non-consent,] objectification, sexualization or harm to minors, and obscene behaviors. We also do not allow sharing Adult Content in highly visible places such as profile photos or banners,” X stated.
Despite having to filter out content from reaching children, some online users are uncomfortable by the new policy.
“That’s why we have to block X through a firewall when we have children living at home,” one Facebook user said.
Another person commented, “Free access to porn even for minors….X contributes to further social and moral decay.”
Meanwhile, other people find the policy adjustment a delayed response to already existing adult content on the app, with some lewd materials posted under artificial bots.
“He gave up fighting the porn bots i cant 😭” one X user replied.
“So it was unofficial before? cause we all know adult content has been around here for ages.” said another.
The effects of accessible porn to children
In a statement on protecting minors from pornographic content, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), an agency built by the U.N. to provide assistance to women and children worldwide has called for other comprehensive efforts to safeguard kids and promote online safety.
“While many jurisdictions have effectively restricted children’s access to pornography in non-digital media, including by making it illegal to distribute pornography to children or knowingly expose them to it, efforts to do the same in digital environments have not been effective,” he said.
UNICEF has also clamored for active government intervention to ensure digital service providers would comply with the law on content moderation.
“[The] regulatory and technological initiatives are essential, they are not sufficient on their own. There is also a need to educate and empower children to navigate the digital environment with critical reasoning skills, media literacy, and information on healthy relationships,” the agency added.
