We caught up with the sitcom actress turned porn star in L.A., and asked her about X's change in policy. While Ward admits people have put nudes on X for years, she feels the content's been shadowbanned -- a problem she hopes the new rules will solve.

MW applauds the clearly-defined rules Elon and co. have devised for the content too ... adding the porn industry is totally on board with only allowing 18+ individuals to watch.

But, she's also speculating about the future of X -- she wondered out loud with us whether the site will start resembling OnlyFans ... showcasing way more nudity for users.

Personally, Maitland thinks X will only be a promotional tool for adult content creators ... adding no one she knows will tweet out full 30-minute sex scenes -- but, perhaps, a couple minutes just to whet appetites.

She says those little snippets on X won't replace the full, more personalized, experience fans pay for over on OF.

BTW, Ward sends a message to Elon, complete with a saucy wink for the X daddy. Watch the video to the end for her proposition.

As we reported ... X is officially allowing adult content in a way Meta's social media platforms are not -- calling the XXX posts artistic expression.