The social media platform X says it will now label parody or satire profiles to distinguish these accounts and boost transparency on the platform.
The new labels will be attached to both parody profiles and their posts, X’s Safety Team wrote in a statement late Thursday night.
“We’re rolling out profile labels for parody accounts to clearly distinguish these types of accounts and their content on our platform,” the company wrote. “We designed these labels to increase transparency and to ensure that users are not deceived into thinking such accounts belong to the entity being parodied.”
Accounts are currently able to place the label on themselves in X’s settings page, though the platform said it will soon release more details about when the labels will become required for parody, commentary and fan (PCF) accounts.
“A PCF account depicts another person, group, or organization in their profile to discuss, satirize, or share information about that entity,” a description of the PCF label states. “The PCF label ensures people on X are not confused by your account, informing them that your account is not affiliated with the subject of the profile.”
X noted these accounts are still required to follow the platform’s rules, including its standards on authenticity, which prohibit users from using fake personas or impersonating others. The platform makes clear PCF accounts can only be used if they are intended to “discuss, satirize or share information.”
Several parody accounts of famous figures have amassed large followings in recent years on X, sometimes causing confusion among users. One parody account for X owner Elon Musk has more than 2.4 million followers.
The move comes amid heightened concerns over false information spreading online, especially on social media platforms.
Since purchasing the platform in 2021, Musk pulled back on several content moderation policies and established a user-driven community notes system where individual accounts can submit context or relevant links to be attached to posts with potentially false or misleading information.
