X (formerly Twitter) has officially revised its policies to permit users to post, view, and share adult nudity and sexual content.
According to the updated guidelines, Elon Musk’s social media platform will now accommodate consensually produced and distributed adult pornographic content, provided it is properly labeled and not prominently displayed.
The policy emphasizes that sexual expression, whether in visual or written form, can be considered a legitimate form of artistic expression. X asserts its belief in the autonomy of adults to engage with and create content reflecting their own beliefs, desires, and experiences, including those related to sexuality.
However, the platform will continue to prohibit pornographic content that is exploitative, nonconsensual, promotes objectification, obscene behaviors, or sexualization or harm to minors. Additionally, adult content is restricted from being used for profile pictures, banners, and other publicly visible spaces.
This policy also extends to AI-generated, photographic, or animated adult content. X defines adult content as any depictions of full or partial nudity, including close-ups of genitals, buttocks, or breasts, as well as explicit or implied sexual behavior or simulated acts like sexual intercourse.
To ensure appropriate viewing, users under 18 or those who haven’t provided a birth date for their profile will be unable to click to view posts marked as adult content.
X is urging accounts that frequently post adult content to adjust their media settings to automatically add a content warning to their posts. Content warnings prompt users to acknowledge that they are about to view a NSFW post. Additionally, users are encouraged to add one-time content warnings for individual posts. Failure to mark posts will result in account settings being adjusted accordingly, as per the policy.
This move follows the platform’s previous allowance of pornographic content under its former identity as Twitter. Estimates from the company revealed that about 13% of all its content featured adult content, according to an October 2022 Reuters report.
