Elon Musk’s X to crack down

Elon Musk is cracking down on parody and impersonation accounts on X (formerly Twitter) as he grows increasingly frustrated with people pretending to be him. Since acquiring the platform in 2022, Musk has made several controversial changes, including overhauling verification and altering community guidelines. Now, starting April 10, all parody, commentary, and fan (PCF) accounts must clearly label themselves by placing terms like “parody” or “fake” at the beginning of their usernames and avoid using identical profile pictures to the accounts they’re mimicking.

This move follows ongoing issues with impersonation, including scams involving fake Musk accounts promising prizes like Teslas. While parody was previously allowed if labeled, the system failed due to username character limits. Critics argue these changes are overdue and insufficient, with users calling for clearer verification methods and improved safety features. Some say Musk’s earlier policy changes created the impersonation problem to begin with. Although the new rules aim to prevent confusion and protect less tech-savvy users, many believe it won’t fully eliminate scammers or restore the platform’s credibility.