The news: X is reducing payouts to spam and aggregator accounts to reduce the amount of clickbait that’s “flooding the timeline” and hurting new author growth, per X’s head of product Nikita Bier.

• The social media platform reduced payouts to aggregator accounts to 60% this payment cycle and will cut another 20% next cycle, Bier said on X.
• He stated that, while X will never infringe on speech or reach, it also won’t compensate for “manipulation of the program or our users.”

X is also exploring a new incentive structure for its revenue share program that would push more money toward creators of original content.

The bigger picture: X has fallen from grace in the last few years, and an influx of spammy content—in addition to surging AI slop across many social platforms—could further negative perceptions of its value. We expect X’s ad revenues will grow 12.4% in 2026 as it rebounds from a 52.2% decline in 2023.

A dearth of original content also plagues platforms like Facebook. To address this, Meta tightened its rules to redefine what counts as original content—namely that it’s either created directly by the poster or meaningfully changes existing material—and deprioritize aggregated content in feeds.

Why it matters: Rather than limiting spammy accounts’ reach through its algorithm, X is using financial incentives to reshape creator behavior. The end result may be less aggregator activity and fewer reposts.

• If effective, this quality control effort could reshape X’s content mix toward more original posts, improving the platform’s appeal to both users and advertisers.
• However, the transition may be rocky if the high-volume aggregator accounts that still drive engagement pull back activity, reducing the amount of overall content available.

Recommendations for brands: If X succeeds at improving user feeds, brands that align with high-quality creators may benefit from a less cluttered, more attention-rich environment.

• Track both overall reach and changes in content adjacency, brand safety, and engagement quality.
• Focus on partnerships with original creators, and be cautious about relying on aggregator accounts for reach.