X finally gives creators a reason to post original work
For years, X has been a place where reposted memes and scraped TikToks thrive. That might finally change. The social network just launched a proper video editor and recorder inside its iOS app, and the message is clear: make something new, don’t just steal it.
The update, announced by X’s head of product Nikita Bier, brings two flagship features: multi-language caption overlays and a green-screen tool that pulls from your camera roll or other X posts. It’s not TikTok-level — not yet — but it’s a start.
Bier put it bluntly. “One of our biggest priorities is to give creators the tools to create original content [and] reward those creators,” he wrote. He added that more updates are coming “in the coming weeks.”
Why X needs a video editor — and why it matters
The problem is simple: top accounts on X often repost content that went viral years ago on other platforms. Sometimes it’s five-year-old material, still getting millions of impressions. Bier said he wants X to host videos that are “finally original content that doesn’t exist on other platforms.”
But a video editor alone won’t fix the culture of recycling. Creators need real incentives to stay exclusive. Right now, TikTok, Meta, and YouTube offer reliable payouts and mature ecosystems. X has a long way to go on that front.
There’s also the bot problem. Bier previously said X identifies and suspends roughly 208 bots per minute. That’s not a typo. Half of the product team, he noted, is focused on fighting spam. Bots inflate views and steal content. They make the platform less trustworthy for creators who want real engagement.
What the new video editor actually does
The editor, rolling out first on iOS, includes:
- Overlay captions in multiple languages, with full customization of font, color, and placement
- Green screen that lets you add backgrounds from your camera roll or from existing X posts
These are basic tools by 2025 standards, but they’re new for X. The company’s app has long felt barebones for video creation, leaning on third-party tools or simple uploads. This is a direct attempt to change that.
Bier confirmed the Android version is still being rebuilt, so Android users will have to wait.
Stolen content is the easy path — but it hurts everyone
Recycled content isn’t just lazy; it’s damaging. Bier said it has a “negative impact on the user experience and the business.” When creators see their work reposted without credit or compensation, they have little reason to post on X in the first place.
Meta and YouTube already offer tools for creators to find and remove unauthorized re-uploads. Meta even lets original creators block stolen content or add attribution links to monetize it. X has no such system. That’s a gap that a video editor alone can’t fill.
Bier recently called out MrBeast, one of YouTube’s biggest stars, for the nature of his content. “For the love of God, make a single piece of content without financial bait,” Bier posted. It was a pointed remark, but it also signals that X is thinking about content quality, not just quantity.
Can X compete with TikTok and YouTube?
It’s a tall order. TikTok and YouTube have spent years building creator tools, payment systems, and community guidelines. X is starting from behind. But Bier noted that posts containing videos already account for nearly half of all impressions on the platform. That’s a huge base to build on.
The platform isn’t alone in its spam struggles. Reddit recently said it’s deploying AI tools to fight bot content enabled by large language models. Digg, a would-be Reddit competitor, shut down its app earlier this year, admitting it couldn’t handle the spam as a startup.
X’s video editor won’t solve everything. But it’s a signal. The company is finally investing in the tools that creators actually need. Whether that’s enough to convince top talent to post original work — and stick around — is another question entirely.
