.png){kind=logo}
X (formerly Twitter) recently launched a new feature to enhance transparency and prevent impersonation. The platform also introduced labels for parody or satire accounts, which allowed users to distinguish between official accounts and accounts created for parody or commentary purposes. This feature, rolled out last Friday, distinguishes parody accounts and minimizes confusion, thus enhancing content credibility.
The new label, “Parody Account,” follows the profile names of those involved in parody or satire. It appears on the profile page and in user account posts. This way, it is easy to identify them as not official or a post from an authentic person or organization.
According to X’s safety account, these labels’ main function is to allow users to know when what they are reading is intended to be funny or sarcastic and not a fact. These will be used by parody, commentary, fan accounts, and those who engage in satire or the passing of information. Even though parody accounts do not have to show their true identities, they should not violate the rules that Owners of such accounts must not impersonate other people for the purpose of misleading others.
The label can be turned on by going to the "Settings and Privacy" section, where users should select “Your account” and then choose the “Parody, commentary, and fan account” option. Up to date, this label is not mandatory, although users have the choice to apply it to their profile or not. Although the label is still optional, X has stated that it will become mandatory in the future, with more information on when this will be implemented to be released in the future.
X created these parody account labels after parody posts were taken seriously multiple times. These errors were mostly confusing, especially when verified users or news sources made the posts. With this feature, X wants its users to be able to identify parody accounts and those of legitimate individuals or organizations.
The label's introduction aligns with the platform’s trend of enhancing content clarity and establishing credibility, which was pursued as a key goal when Elon Musk acquired the site. Accounts considered to mimic the specific sources and otherwise adhere to the rules of satire will have the specified distinction and, thus, will be less likely to be confused with real accounts.
X’s safety account also emphasized that the move is in accordance with parody, commentary, and fan (PCF) rules, which permit parody to engage in satirical discussions without violating the legitimacy policy. These regulations are intended to ensure that users have the right perception of the genre of materials posted on the site.
