Earning money on Elon Musk’s social media platform X may soon become harder for many users. The company has announced new rules to stop people from earning money through stolen viral videos.
X says it now wants to control the growing “copycat economy” on the platform. Under the new system, accounts that simply repost videos from other creators may lose monetization benefits.
Why Did X Change the Rules?
Users on X often repost viral videos, memes, and clips within minutes of them becoming popular. In many cases, copied uploads get more views than the original creator’s post.
According to X Product Head Nikita Bier, the platform found several large accounts reuploading videos from smaller creators. These accounts were reportedly using copied content to benefit from X’s Creator Revenue Share Program.
Because of this, X has decided to give more protection and rewards to original creators.
Original Creators Will Get More Credit
The company said impressions from reposted videos will now mostly go to the original creator. This means creators who first upload viral content will receive the main visibility and monetization benefits.
Accounts that simply download and repost someone else’s video will no longer gain the same advantage as before.
However, X will still allow users to share opinions, reactions, and commentary on viral clips.
X Encourages “Quote” and Share Features
The platform is asking users to use the “Share Video” or “Quote” feature instead of reuploading videos manually.
Users who add commentary or opinions through these features can still receive impressions and engagement. But the majority of views and earnings will go to the original creator of the video.
Bug in Shared Videos Will Also Be Fixed
Some X users also complained about a bug where shared videos turn into links after crossing the 280-character limit.
Responding to the issue, Nikita Bier said the company is working on a fix and the problem will be resolved soon.
