In response to mounting concerns over the proliferation of adult content on his social media platform X, formerly Twitter, Elon Musk has announced a forthcoming “major purge.”
What Happened: On Thursday, Musk, the CEO of Tesla Inc. and SpaceX, responded to a user’s complaint about the excessive spam and adult content on X. The user expressed their frustration with the situation on the platform.
The tech billionaire acknowledged the issue and assured users that a “major purge” is imminent.
In the comment section, people were worried that this “major purge” would significantly reduce their follower count. This fear appears to stem from Musk’s earlier use of the word “purge” when he announced that the platform is “purging accounts that have had no activity at all for several years.”
Why It Matters: The problem of adult content on X has been a growing concern. The platform, which Musk acquired for $44 billion in October 2022, has been flooded with explicit material.
In fact, it was reported that the extent of explicit content, encompassing scams and promotions for OnlyFans, has escalated to a point where it is causing discomfort among its users.
Subscribe to the Benzinga Tech Trends newsletter to get all the latest tech developments delivered to your inbox.
Musk’s X has reportedly been exploring avenues to generate revenue from adult content. However, the associated risks, such as potential involvement in criminal activities, are a major cause for concern. There are also concerns about X’s ability to protect minors from exposure to explicit content.
A 2023 report by Common Sense Media previously suggested that teenagers as young as 12 were exposed to online pornography. In February earlier this year, a Politico report criticized the microblogging site and other social media platforms for failing to shield children from adult content.
The surge in explicit content is not exclusive to X. Similar platforms, such as Twitch, have adjusted their policies regarding sexual content in response to criticism.
Check out more of Benzinga’s Consumer Tech coverage by following this link.
Read Next: Elon Musk Says All Nations ‘Above A Certain Per Capita Income’ Are Committing ‘Demographic Suicide’
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of Benzinga Neuro and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Photo via Shutterstock
© 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
Trade confidently with insights and alerts from analyst ratings, free reports and breaking news that affects the stocks you care about.
