The social networking service X quickly reversed its statement concerning new guidelines for creator monetization, which had concentrated on earnings linked to engagement from a creator’s local audience.
On late Tuesday, X’s Head of Product Nikita Bier declared that beginning Thursday, the platform would revise its payout policy to prioritize impressions from the creator’s local area. He explained that the platform should discourage manipulating the algorithm by discussing topics related to the U.S. or Japan to attract larger audiences.
“We will prioritize impressions from your home region—to promote content that connects with individuals in your country, in surrounding countries, and those who speak your language,” Bier posted on X.
“While we value everyone’s input on American politics, we hope this will deter attempts to grab the attention of U.S. or Japanese accounts and instead, foster diverse discussions on the platform. We encourage creators to start cultivating a local audience. X will thrive as a community when there are relevant posts for individuals worldwide.”
This announcement sparked considerable backlash from users globally who indicated that they discuss a variety of subjects in multiple languages, such as English, to attract more readers, especially since the usage of X in their home countries was relatively limited.
Just hours after the announcement, in response to a user, Elon Musk stated that the company will “halt any progress on this until further review,” effectively pausing the proposed changes.
Over the years, X has modified how account details are presented to prevent the spread of misinformation. Last November, the platform added a new section in the profile details to inform users about the country or region an account originates from. This initiative aimed to identify if an account is genuine or a malicious actor intending to disseminate misinformation—especially politically charged misinformation.
The new creator payout feature appears to have similar foundations, as accounts might be discussing issues pertinent to a specific region to attract attention. However, in its present form, the adjustment would have also affected individuals discussing sports, fashion, movies, or technology globally, not just political figures.
Earlier this year, X altered its policies to incorporate a clause preventing accounts from receiving creator payouts for 90 days if they utilize AI to disseminate misleading content about warfare without any disclosures. The company indicated it would employ its AI capabilities and community notes to identify such contributors. Last month, Wired reported that X had become a fertile ground for misinformation following attacks by the U.S. and Israel on Iran, featuring AI-generated videos and misrepresenting video game clips as actual war footage.