Elon Musk’s X introduces game-changing parody labels to tackle impersonation; here's how to use it

Elon Musk’s X (formerly Twitter) has officially launched a highly anticipated feature that adds labels to accounts identified as “parody” or “satire.”

 Since Musk’s acquisition of the platform, concerns over impersonation have been growing, with critics calling for stronger measures to address the issue. This new update aims to tackle those concerns by clearly distinguishing authentic accounts from satirical ones, enhancing transparency and reducing the potential for misleading content.

 The development was announced through a post on the platform’s official safety account and this new label will appear beneath the profile of parody accounts, both on the user’s main profile page and within their posts. According to X, this addition's primary aim would be to help users easily differentiate between genuine accounts and satirical or parody profiles, reducing confusion and dispelling any false associations with real personalities.

According to X, the feature will clearly indicate the source of the content in line with its Parody, Commentary, and Fan (PCF) regulation, which permits parody accounts to share satirical content without misleading others. While users are not required to use their real identities, the rule forbids impersonating individuals, groups, or organisations with the intent to deceive.

Elon Musk, the platform’s owner, has long been an advocate of the idea of clear identifiers for parody accounts. In 2022, Musk had emphasised that parody accounts must include the term “parody” in their display name and not just in their bio.

However, the parody account labels are not yet mandatory. But users will soon be required to use them, and for now, they can manually apply the label by navigating to Settings and Privacy > Your Account > Account Information, and selecting the “Parody, Commentary, and Fan Account” option.