Big Tech
Elon Musk’s X To Introduce Stricter Rules on Parody Accounts
Elon Musk’s platform X, formerly known as Twitter, is cracking down on X parody accounts with a new set of rules set to take effect from April 10. The move comes after growing user complaints over misleading impersonations, many of which target high-profile individuals — including X’s own owner, Elon Musk.
According to the company’s announcement, accounts that impersonate another individual will now be required to use clear markers such as “fake” or “parody” at the very beginning of their account names. Additionally, these accounts must not use the same profile image as the person or entity they are mimicking.
“These changes are designed to help users better understand the unaffiliated nature of parody, commentary, and fan (PCF) accounts and reduce the risk of confusion or impersonation,” X explained in a post over the weekend. The company has encouraged all relevant accounts to update their profiles before the enforcement deadline to avoid penalties.
The changes are not limited to X parody accounts. Fan pages and commentary accounts must also adhere to the new naming guidelines to ensure they are clearly distinguishable from the accounts they support or critique.
Confusion and Scams: A Growing Problem
X’s decision follows ongoing concerns over impersonation on the platform, with X parody accounts frequently engaging in misleading content — from memes and jokes to deceptive promotions. Many of these fake accounts target Elon Musk himself, often claiming to offer giveaways or cryptocurrency tips.
In one instance a parody Elon Musk account with over one million followers claimed users could win a Tesla by liking and commenting on a post. The post racked up an astonishing 428,000 likes and over 200,000 replies, demonstrating just how far such content can spread, regardless of authenticity.
Users responded positively to the policy update, with one saying, “Hopefully, this includes all the thousands of fake variations of Elon Musk accounts.” Another added, “About time I get a fake Elon account contacting me almost once a week.”
Elon Musk X Parody Account
Labeling and Verification: A Work in Progress
The platform had already introduced parody labels earlier this year, in line with its policies that require clear identification for accounts engaging in impersonation for entertainment. However, many of these accounts place the “parody” tag at the end of their usernames — a practice X now considers insufficient.
A long display name can often be truncated in feeds and replies, allowing such parody accounts to easily deceive users, especially when they use identical profile pictures.
X’s blue check verification system has also faced scrutiny. While intended to authenticate legitimate users, the European Union criticized it in 2024, saying it could mislead users and breach online content regulations. Elon Musk responded by labelling the EU’s concerns as “misinformation.”
Accountability or Control?
Since Elon Musk’s takeover of the platform in late 2022, X has promised to curb unlabelled impersonation. This latest move could be a key step in delivering on that promise. Whether it will be enough to restore user trust remains to be seen — but for now, the parody party may have to get a little more transparent.
