In a week marked by scandal, X (formerly known as Twitter) ascended to the pinnacle of Apple’s App Store, becoming the most downloaded free app. This surge in popularity coincided with the viral spread of a video purportedly showing the rapper Drake in a compromising position.

The video, which sparked widespread speculation and intrigue, features an individual believed to be Drake partially nude and seemingly engaged in a sexual act.

The hashtag “#drakevideo” quickly became a trending topic in the United States, drawing an avalanche of attention to X.

This incident arrives on the heels of another controversy involving the distribution of AI-generated explicit images of Taylor Swift, a situation that challenged X’s moderation capabilities and led to a temporary blockade of searches related to the pop star’s name.

Despite these content moderation hurdles, X’s user engagement metrics appear unscathed, if not bolstered, by the controversies. Elon Musk, the platform’s owner, celebrated X’s App Store triumph with characteristic bravado, tweeting, “If I had a dollar for every time the media reported that one of my companies was going to die, I would never need to raise money!”

X’s spokesperson, Joe Benarroch, affirmed the platform’s dedication to fostering a safe and respectful user environment, highlighting a “zero-tolerance policy” for the dissemination of nonconsensual nude imagery. Benarroch disclosed that the company had intervened in thousands of posts related to the recent incidents and continues to police the platform for violations vigilantly.

However, a deep dive shows the persistent availability of the controversial Drake video on X, with some posts—garnering millions of views—remaining accessible with minimal effort. A representative for Drake has yet to comment on the matter.

Elon Musk’s sweeping cuts to content moderation and safety teams in 2022 have raised questions about X’s capacity to manage such crises effectively. As the platform navigates the complexities of viral content and public scrutiny, its ability to balance growth with responsible governance remains under the spotlight.

Drake first rose to fame in 2001, when a then 14-year-old landed a role on the teenage drama Degrassi. Fast forward two years, and he’s now a popular rapper worth an estimated $250 million.

If you are so included, you can follow Drake on Twitter (X) at @Drake.