X will now allow “consensually produced and distributed” adult content on the platform, but with restrictions that block under-18 users.
The Elon Musk-owned company revealed the updates to its policy on Monday, which noted that “adult nudity or sexual behaviour” will be allowed on the platform provided that it is “properly labelled and not prominently displayed.”
The platform said it believes its users “should be able to create, distribute, and consume material related to sexual themes as long as it is consensually produced and distributed. Sexual expression, whether visual or written, can be a legitimate form of artistic expression.”
X noted that this includes AI-generated content and photographic or animated content such as cartoons, hentai, or anime.
“We believe in the autonomy of adults to engage with and create content that reflects their own beliefs, desires, and experiences, including those related to sexuality. We balance this freedom by restricting exposure to Adult Content for children or adult users who choose not to see it.”
The social media company noted that it prohibits content that promotes “exploitation, nonconsent, objectification, sexualisation or harm to minors, and obscene behaviours” and will not allow adult content in highly visible places such as profile photos or banners.
Users who post adult content will be asked to to adjust their media settings so that images and videos will be placed behind content warnings, or a one-time content warning, that must be acknowledged before the media is viewed.
The platform noted that a failure to mark posts will result in X making changes to the account settings on the user’s behalf.
X has similar marking functions for photo or video content that is considered violent, harmful, or sensitive.
Julie Inman Grant, Australia’s online safety regulator, believes Apple and Google have financial motives for keeping platforms like X and Reddit, which can host adult content, in their app stores despite it being in violation of both app stores policies.
Grant claimed to The Guardian that both tech giants: “Collect a 30% tithe from every transaction that happens on a social media site … Think about the force multiplier of deplatforming an app and what that would mean to their revenue.”