Once again, X finds itself in the midst of a daunting challenge: managing the influx of explicit images involving celebrities on its platform, marking the second occurrence in just a fortnight.
A newly constructed X sign is seen on the roof of the headquarters of the social media platform previously known as Twitter, in San Francisco, on July 29, 2023.
At What Cost?
X managed to secure the highly sought-after top spot among free apps on Apple's App Store, coinciding with yet another celebrity image scandal unfolding on its service, as reported by The Verge.
This likely fueled a significant increase in new installations for the X app, which began its ascent up the App Store rankings around 7 PM EST and clinched the No. 1 spot by midnight. This displaced Instagram Threads, which previously held the top position.
Early estimates from Appfigures suggest that X garnered approximately 117,000 new downloads on Tuesday, up from 93,000 the day before. With the app gaining momentum later in the evening, the firm anticipates that X could continue to acquire more installations today.
In the United States, the widespread use of the hashtag "drakevideo," as users shared a video allegedly featuring rapper Drake partially nude and engaged in intimate activities. This incident occurred shortly after X's recent struggle to curb the spread of scandalous celebrity imagery.
In late January, the platform experienced a surge in AI-generated explicit images falsely linked to Taylor Swift, leading to temporary restrictions on searches for the artist's name.
Despite encountering these controversies, X's download statistics remained unaffected. Elon Musk, the app's owner, took to social media to proudly announce its ascent to the top of the App Store charts.
In a lighthearted manner, Musk joked about the recurrent reports of impending doom from the media regarding his companies, suggesting that if compensated a dollar for each report, he wouldn't need to seek funding again.
Responding to the Spread of Scandalous Celebrity Imagery
In a recent statement, spokesperson Joe Benarroch emphasized X's unwavering dedication to fostering a secure and respectful online atmosphere for all users. He underscored the company's firm stance with a "zero-tolerance policy" towards the dissemination of nonconsensual nude images.
Benarroch revealed that the company has already implemented measures on numerous posts and remains vigilant in monitoring the situation to eliminate any further infringing content swiftly.
X restricted searches for Taylor Swift, albeit the blockade was fragile. Users attempting to look up Taylor Swift on X found no results. This action was taken in response to a recent surge in the circulation of graphic AI-generated content featuring the globally renowned recording artist.
Following Tucker Carlson's announcement on X regarding his upcoming interview with Russian President Vladimir Putin, the app also experienced a surge in downloads, catapulting it to the top of the U.S. App Store overnight.
Carlson highlighted the forthcoming airing of Putin's first interview with a Western media outlet since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, as reported by TechCrunch.
Essentially, Putin anticipates not only receiving a receptive audience but also the opportunity to communicate his perspective to a broader, potentially sympathetic viewership.
