X says it’s reducing payments to clickbait accounts

At a glance:

• X cuts aggregator payouts by 40% amid clickbait crackdown
• Habitual 'BREAKING' posters face additional 20% reduction
• High-profile creator Dom Lucre demonetized amid controversy

What happened

X is cutting back on payments to accounts that are “flooding the timeline” with clickbait and rapid-fire news aggregation, according to its head of product Nikita Bier. In a Saturday announcement, Bier revealed that “[a]ll aggregators had their payouts reduced to 60% this cycle” and will see another 20% reduction in the next pay cycle. The Elon Musk-owned social network is also specifically targeting “habitual bait posters who use ‘🚨BREAKING’ on every post.”

Bier explained the reasoning behind the policy shift, stating, “It became abundantly clear: flooding the timeline with 100 stolen reposts and clickbait everyday crowded-out real creators and hurt new author growth.” He emphasized that “X will never infringe on speech or reach — but we will not compensate for manipulation of the program or our users.” The announcement comes as X attempts to recalibrate its creator compensation model to prioritize original content over aggregated material.

Who's affected

The policy change has already impacted several high-profile accounts, sparking immediate controversy. Conservative news creator Dominick McGee, who posts under the name Dom Lucre, announced he had been demonetized. McGee has 1.6 million followers on X and previously gained popularity for posting conspiracy theories related to the 2020 presidential election. He told The New York Times last year that he was making $55,000 annually from the platform, though he was temporarily banned in 2023 and demonetized in 2024.

Other creators have expressed concern about being caught in X’s crackdown. An account named PoliMath commented, “I think I appreciate what Nikita is trying to do there but I just had my lowest payout in a long time so I’m a little nervous that I somehow got caught in this ‘aggregators’ bucket.” The account insisted they are “not an ‘aggregator’ by any stretch of the imagination,” though they acknowledged having a paid partnership with Kalshi. McGee himself complained that X seemed to be listening to “the complaints of people that have no goal in creating on this app,” while acknowledging that declaring every post as breaking news would qualify as clickbait.

Why it matters

The payment reductions reflect X’s ongoing efforts to reshape its platform’s content ecosystem and creator economy. By penalizing rapid-fire aggregators and habitual “BREAKING” posters, X aims to create more space for original content creators and new voices to grow. This policy shift comes amid broader debates about platform value and content quality, with some users arguing that clickbait and repetitive posting degrade the user experience.

The controversy also highlights tensions within X’s creator community. While some creators support measures to reduce low-quality content, others fear being unfairly targeted or losing income streams. The situation has reignited discussions about platform algorithms, content moderation policies, and how social media platforms should balance free expression with content quality. As X continues to position itself as a hub for creators, these payment policies could significantly impact who chooses to build audiences and earn money on the platform.

What's next

X will likely face challenges in implementing and enforcing these policies consistently. The vague definitions of “aggregators” and “habitual bait posters” could lead to inconsistent enforcement and creator confusion. As PoliMath noted, even legitimate content creators may inadvertently trigger these reductions if their posting patterns resemble those targeted by the policy.

The platform may also need to provide clearer guidelines and potentially appeals processes for creators who believe they’ve been unfairly demonetized. Additionally, X will need to monitor how these changes affect overall creator retention and platform engagement. If the policy successfully reduces clickbait while preserving legitimate content creation, it could become a model for other social platforms grappling with similar issues. However, if implemented poorly, it risks alienating key creators and further fragmenting X’s already-divided user base.