- X is enforcing a new set of rules for parody accounts beginning later this month. The company says the move is to decrease confusion among users.
- Parody accounts have until Thursday, April 10, to comply with the rules.
- Following his takeover of the social media company previously known as Twitter in 2022, Elon Musk said unlabeled parody accounts would be banned from the platform.
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X is implementing stricter rules on parody accounts.
Beginning on Thursday, April 10, accounts on the social media platform that impersonate another user or person must display key phrases such as “fake,” “fan”, “commentary” or “parody” preceding their account name.
X will also mandate parody account owners to use different images from the X accounts belonging to the person or user they are imitating.
When will the rules be implemented?
The move comes as some X users complain parody accounts have led to confusion on the platform, for example, those impersonating the social media company’s owner Elon Musk.
X released a statement on Friday, April 4, announcing the new rules.
“These changes are designed to help users better understand the unaffiliated nature of the PCF accounts and reduce the risk of confusion or impersonation.”
Statement from social media platform X
X urged users with parody accounts to update their accounts by April 10.
What is the goal with new rules?
Some social media users expressed support for the move, arguing it will prevent further confusion, for instance, preventing users from falling for fake Musk accounts promoting nonexistent giveaways and contacting users.
The announcement comes as X previously introduced labels for parody accounts in January, expanding on its requirements for users with impersonation accounts for the purpose of entertainment to identify themselves as parodies.
How did the original system work?
The move also comes after X’s original decision to overhaul the online platform, previously known as Twitter, by changing its original verification system. Twitter previously reserved blue checkmarks for verified accounts and organizations, which some argue made it easier to spot impersonators.
After his takeover of Twitter in 2022, Musk announced accounts impersonating people that were not labeled would be banned from the platform.
Why is it important to users?
Many parody accounts reportedly on X identify themselves as such on the platform in brackets at the end of the account’s name, but many users contend the parody accounts still fool them at times.
Users particularly point to parody users names that are long and only a partial version of the name appears in feeds or replies, often tricking them into believing it is the actual person they are impersonating.