- Official min age
- 13+
- Users
- 600 million monthly active users
- Content types
- Text posts Photos Videos Live streaming Long-form articles
What is X (Twitter)?
X, formerly known as Twitter, is a real-time social network where users post short messages called posts (formerly tweets). Founded in 2006, it became a major public forum for news, commentary, and conversation. In 2022, Elon Musk acquired the platform and rebranded it as X, making significant changes to content moderation policies, verification systems, and the product.
X is widely used by journalists, politicians, celebrities, activists, and the general public. Its open nature means conversations and content are generally visible to anyone, whether they have an account or not.
What parents should know
Since Musk's acquisition in 2022, X has significantly reduced its content moderation workforce and relaxed some of its policies on hate speech and adult content. This has led to a measurable increase in harmful content on the platform, making it riskier for younger users than it was previously.
X allows adult content to be posted by verified adult accounts, though it is restricted behind a setting that can be toggled on. The platform has been criticised for the ease with which this restriction can be bypassed. The open nature of the platform means that harassment, hate speech, and disturbing content from news events can appear on a child's timeline.
Key risks include exposure to hate speech and extremist content, graphic news imagery, adult content, harassment, and radicalisation through interaction with certain communities. Parents should discuss the public nature of the platform — even with a private account, content can be screenshotted and shared. Consider whether X is appropriate for teenagers given the significant changes to its content moderation since 2022.
Current trends on X (Twitter)
No trends found