Elon Musk’s X lifts ban on Taylor Swift searches after spread of fake explicit images

Social media juggernaut X has reinstated searches for global superstar Taylor Swift, rescinding a temporary ban imposed in response to the dissemination of fabricated sexually explicit imagery featuring the renowned pop singer across its platform last week.

The decision to reactivate searches for Swift was announced Monday evening by Joe Benarroch, head of business operations at X, who affirmed the company's commitment to vigilant monitoring. "We will continue to be vigilant for any attempt to spread this content and will remove it if we find it," stated Benarroch in a press release on Monday.

Previously, attempts to search for Taylor Swift on the platform were met with an error message, "Something went wrong. Try reloading," sparking speculation and concern among fans and social media users alike.

The enforcement of the temporary ban followed the circulation of manipulated images portraying Swift in a false and explicit light, prompting swift action from the social media giant. One such image, reportedly viewed a staggering 47 million times before the associated account was suspended, underscored the urgency of the situation.

This development garnered significant attention, even drawing remarks from the White House, which labelled the spread of fake imagery as "alarming" and emphasised the responsibility of social media companies to combat misinformation.

X's actions come amidst heightened scrutiny of social media platforms and their handling of harmful content, particularly since billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk assumed control of Twitter in 2022. Musk's controversial posts have sparked widespread criticism, leading many advertisers to reassess their presence on the platform to mitigate association with potentially harmful material.