Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, who acquired Twitter in October 2022 and subsequently rebranded it as X, is now getting complaints about the lack of female-friendliness on his social media platform.
What Happened: Over the weekend, a user on X shared a video of Johnny McEntee, Donald Trump loyalist and former staffer, saying that he should start posting on X. This prompted a discussion about the platform’s female user base, or lack thereof.
One user pointed out that X needs video integration to make it easier to upload TikTok videos. In response, Ashley St Clair, a right-wing commentator and an X user, noted that the platform’s demographic is primarily male.
At this point, a user shared that his wife and her sisters don’t find X appealing, while TikTok and Instagram are almost like addictions for them. “Something about X probably isn’t female friendly.”
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Clair also mentioned that the platform’s graphic and controversial content, as well as the lack of sensitivity settings, deter many women. “I tried getting my mom to use X more. Feeds for new users are incredibly graphic, controversial + off-putting,” she said.
Adding, “Lots of women also deterred by lack sensitivity settings for their own comments. Women don't want a gladiator-free speech arena under their posts. Just how it is.”
Musk appeared to acknowledge all these concerns as he responded with a simple “Noted.”
Why It Matters: This discussion comes on the heels of a report that X is experiencing a surge in adult content, causing discomfort among its users. The platform’s lack of female-friendly features could further exacerbate this issue, potentially impacting user engagement and retention.
Meanwhile, Musk proudly highlighted the capability of posting multiple hours-long videos on the social media platform last week. He said, “Post your movies, TV series, or podcast on this platform and monetize by turning on subscriptions!”
The tech billionaire has been working toward transforming the social media platform into an “everything app,” that comes with functionalities like audio and video calls, photos and video sharing, transferring money, searching for jobs, and more.
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