X, formerly known as Twitter, is set to implement significant reductions in payments to accounts that excessively share clickbait and rapid news aggregation, as outlined by the platform’s Head of Product, Nikita Bier. Bier announced that payments for news aggregators would be cut to 60% in the current cycle, with a further 20% reduction anticipated in the next pay period. This move is in response to concerns that such practices are overshadowing original content creators and stifling the growth of new authors.
Bier stated, “It became abundantly clear that flooding the timeline with 100 stolen reposts and clickbait every day crowded out real creators and hurt new author growth.” He reiterated that while X respects user freedom of speech, it will not tolerate manipulation of the platform or its community.
These comments were prompted following revelations that some conservative news accounts had received notifications of demonetisation from X. Dominick McGee, an influential creator known as Dom Lucre, expressed dismay upon learning he had been demonetised, despite having a significant following of 1.6 million. He had previously shared conspiracy theories and was earning approximately $55,000 annually from the platform. McGee criticized X’s actions, suggesting they were undeservedly influenced by users uninvolved in genuine content creation. He acknowledged his posts sometimes feature “BREAKING” news, yet insisted not every one of them qualifies as clickbait.
Some other users have also voiced concerns over being wrongly classified as aggregators after receiving reduced payments. For instance, an account named PoliMath expressed worry over experiencing a notably low payout while asserting their original content does not align with aggregating practices, despite being linked to a paid partnership.
The discourse around X’s user monetisation reflects a broader discussion on the platform’s value. Notably, data analyst Nate Silver remarked on the challenges of driving traffic from X to external sites and pointed out the dominance of right-wing accounts, which he argued contributed to a dysfunctional ecosystem. Bier countered Silver’s claims, asserting inaccuracies in the data he presented, a sentiment echoed by Musk, who labelled Silver’s observations as “bullshit.” Despite these denials, independent analyses have suggested that links may indeed adversely affect news publishers on the platform.
In summary, X is taking a decisive stance against accounts that prioritise clickbait and excessive reposting at the expense of authentic creation, signalling a potential shift in the platform’s monetisation strategy and community dynamics.
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