You can now use video editing tools on X
What's the story
X, the social network, has introduced a new video editing and recording feature. The update is aimed at encouraging creators to share original content on the platform rather than reposting others' work. The new tools include options for adding captions in multiple languages and customizing their appearance, as well as green-screen features that can be used with images from your phone's camera roll or other X posts.
Creator support
Bier promises more updates for the video editor soon
Nikita Bier, X's head of product, emphasized the company's commitment to supporting creators. He said, "One of our biggest priorities is to give creators the tools to create original content [and] reward those creators." Bier also hinted at more updates coming for the video editor in the coming weeks. The goal is to provide a "functional" video editor so some videos on X can "finally be original content that doesn't exist on other platforms."
Content concerns
Addressing the issue of recycled content
Bier noted that a lot of posts from top accounts on X are stolen material, sometimes five years after the content originally went viral. Recycled content has always been a popular shortcut to virality on social platforms. However, simply providing a video editor won't solve this problem. To create a thriving creator ecosystem, X must ensure creators can reach a broad audience of real people to effectively monetize their work.
Improvement areas
Gaps in creator support
Bier recently criticized YouTube creator MrBeast for the nature of his video content. X also lacks built-in tools for creators to report their work if it's stolen and take action, something Meta provides Reels creators. This is a major gap in the platform's current offering, especially considering other platforms like YouTube have long offered tools for finding and removing unauthorized re-uploads.
Bot issues
Bot activity and video post growth on X
Bots on X can inflate views and scrape content. Bier said that X was identifying and suspending "208 bots per minute and growing," highlighting the scale of the problem. He also claimed that posts on X containing videos already account for nearly half of all impressions on the social network.