X says a bug caused the platform to mark some posts as “Sensitive Media” over the weekend.
“We’ve fixed the underlying issue and are now working to remove labels from impacted posts,” the company wrote in a January 21st post on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Users can add the label to posts that contain material such as nudity or violence as “one-time sensitive content,” X says on its website. The feature is available on iOS, Android and X on the web.
UPDATE: All impacted posts have been fixed and incorrectly applied labels removed. https://t.co/muJalJh4EO
— Safety (@Safety) January 22, 2024
Users who post such content regularly are asked to adjust their media settings by heading to settings and Privacy > Privacy and Safety > Your Posts and check the box labelled ‘mark media you post as containing material that may be sensitive.’
But as TechCrunch reports, X added the label to posts that did not qualify for it, something the company can do. X owner Elon Musk blames the issue on a spam bot. “An X spam/scam bot accidentally flagged many legitimate accounts today,” Musk wrote in a January 21st post.
An 𝕏 spam/scam bot accidentally flagged many legitimate accounts today. This is being fixed.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 21, 2024
TechCrunch notes that Musk’s use of a spam bot differs from how such labels were added to posts before he acquired the social media platform in October 2o22. The platform previously used automation and staff through the company’s trust and safety team.
The company dissolved the Trust and Safety Council, responsible for moderating content, including hate speech, child exploitation, suicide, self-harm, and more, in December 2022.
Image credit: Shutterstock
Source: X Via: TechCrunch
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