The platform X hosts numerous accounts that mimic public figures, including politicians, athletes, and artists. While some explicitly label themselves as “Parody” in their display names, others do so in their bios, which can cause confusion and lead people, including news anchors, to mistake these accounts for genuine ones.
Several app reverse engineers have revealed that X is working on a new feature to help parody or fan commentary accounts clearly identify themselves. This feature would introduce a “Parody account” label, visible under the username on profiles and posts, to reduce the likelihood of users confusing these accounts with authentic ones.
However, one significant challenge for X would be ensuring that parody accounts actually use this label. Currently, the platform’s Authenticity policy requires parody accounts to comply with rules that prohibit impersonation intended to spread misinformation. According to the policy, X allows parody, commentary, and fan accounts as long as their purpose is to satirize, comment, or share information.
If the new label is implemented, X would also need to establish guidelines for how parody accounts should adopt it. Failure to do so could lead to ongoing confusion if many accounts choose not to comply.
It’s worth noting that X already provides a label for automated bot accounts using its API for automatic updates. However, not all bot accounts adhere to this rule, and there have been numerous reports of bots being used to manipulate narratives, especially around elections.
Post a Comment