X officially rolled out a new “Paid Partnership” label on Monday, providing creators with a standardized way to disclose sponsored content. The update allows users to clearly mark advertisements, replacing the need for manual hashtags and ensuring compliance with federal advertising regulations.
Improving Transparency and Compliance
The new feature introduces a “content disclose” toggle within the post settings. Once activated, a formal “Paid Partnership” label appears directly beneath the post. Crucially, X has designed the tool to be flexible, allowing creators to apply the disclosure label even after a post has been published.
According to X’s head of product, Nikitia Bier, this shift is essential for maintaining platform integrity. “Undisclosed promotions hurt the integrity of the product and lead people to distrust the content they read on X,” Bier stated in a recent announcement.
Today we're announcing Paid Partnership labels on posts. X's core value is providing on authentic pulse on humanity.
While we want to encourage people to build their businesses on X, undisclosed promotions hurt the integrity of the product and lead people to distrust the content… pic.twitter.com/CmrRDx5tU1
Aligning with Industry Standards
For years, creators on X were forced to rely on informal hashtags like #paidpartnership or #ad to disclose sponsorships. This approach lagged behind competitors like Instagram, which implemented integrated disclosure tools following U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) warnings in 2017 regarding the necessity of “clear and conspicuous” disclosures.
By streamlining this process, X aims to make the platform more attractive to professional creators who prioritize regulatory compliance. This move follows a series of attempts by the company to bolster its creator economy, including ad-revenue sharing, payouts for viral content, and subscription models.
Combating Spam and Enhancing Authenticity
The introduction of disclosure labels is part of a broader effort by X to clean up its content ecosystem. Last week, the platform restricted its API to prevent programmatic replies unless the original author explicitly engaged with the account. This change is specifically aimed at curbing LLM-generated spam, which has previously been used to artificially inflate the perceived popularity of sponsored content through fake testimonials.
By enforcing stricter disclosure rules and limiting automated bot activity, X hopes to foster a more authentic environment for both brands and users, moving away from the era of manual hashtag reliance.