Elon Musk-owned X has announced a major incentive for creators, offering a $1 million reward (approximately ₹9.07 crore) for publishing the best long-form article on the platform. The initiative aims to encourage high-quality writing that sparks discussion, delivers breaking information, and influences cultural conversations.
The move comes at a sensitive time for the company, as X and its AI chatbot Grok have been facing regulatory scrutiny following reports of the chatbot generating non-consensual deepfake images involving women and children.
Announcing the initiative, the platform said:
“We’re trying something new: we’re giving $1 million to the Top Article of the next payout period. We’re doubling down on what creators on 𝕏 do best: writing. In 2026, our goal is to recognize high-value, high-impact content that shapes conversation, breaks news and moves culture.”
X also issued a direct call to its writing community, adding:
“Creators, writers, journalists, thought leaders: If long-form is your craft, this is your moment to double down on 𝕏. Tell us what you want to see next in 2026,” it added.
X Top Article Prize: Eligibility and Timeline
According to the platform, the $1 million Top Article contest officially began at 2 PM Pacific Time on January 16, 2026, and will run until 11:59 PM PT on January 28, 2026. To qualify, submissions must strictly adhere to X’s content policies.
The company clarified that eligible articles must be:
- Original content
- At least 1,000 words long
- Free from hateful, fraudulent, or manipulative material
Winners will be selected based on Verified Home Timeline impressions, and for now, only creators based in the United States are eligible to participate.
X also stated that any content violating its platform rules or policies will be disqualified from the competition.
Complete Terms and Conditions for X’s Top Article Contest
X has outlined detailed rules for submissions, stating that:
- A submission must be the entrant’s sole original work
- Content promoting bigotry, racism, hate speech, terrorism, bullying, harm, or discrimination is strictly prohibited
- Articles must not include overtly sexual material
- Submissions cannot defame, misrepresent, or make disparaging claims about X, its partners, products, or any individuals or companies
- Content must not be false, inaccurate, misleading, or plagiarised
- Entries must be published directly on X.com to be considered
The company also issued a warning regarding AI-generated content:
“Submissions generated or substantially assisted by automated tools, artificial intelligence, or third parties may be disqualified unless expressly permitted by X,” the company warned.
Additionally, X noted that once an article is submitted, it cannot be edited or revised, though creators are allowed to submit multiple entries during the contest period.
Expansion of Long-Form Content on X
Recently, X expanded its Articles feature to all Premium subscribers, enabling creators to publish long-form posts directly on the platform. This expansion also allows eligible users to earn revenue through X’s monetization program, further strengthening the platform’s push toward written content.
With this latest initiative, X is clearly positioning itself as a space for serious writers and journalists, offering significant financial incentives to reward impactful storytelling and original reporting.
Get Latest News Live on Storify News along with Breaking News and Top Headlines from US News, Trump News, Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce, Kamala Harris, Entertainment, Technology and around the world.
