X has launched a new “Paid Partnership” label that creators can apply to posts to disclose sponsored content, giving users clearer visibility into when recommendations are advertisements.
The feature allows creators to toggle on a “content disclose” setting before publishing a post, which adds a Paid Partnership label directly beneath the content. The label can also be applied after publication if a creator initially forgets to enable it.
Regulatory Context And Platform Alignment
The update aligns X with disclosure practices long established on other platforms such as Instagram. In 2017, the Federal Trade Commission warned influencers that sponsored posts must be “clearly and conspicuously” disclosed.
Last year, Instagram expanded its Partnership Ads feature to allow creators to receive payment for written testimonials posted as comments on brand content.
Until now, creators on X relied on hashtags such as #ad or #paidpartnership to signal sponsorships. The new built-in label removes the need for hashtags while meeting federal disclosure requirements.
Transparency And Creator Strategy
Nikitia Bier, X’s head of product, said the feature is designed to improve transparency and protect platform integrity.
“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 they read on X,” Bier wrote in a post announcing the feature.
X has sought to expand its appeal to creators by offering monetization tools including viral content payouts, ad revenue sharing and paid subscriptions. However, the platform continues to compete with services such as Instagram and YouTube for creator engagement.
Additional Authenticity Measures
The introduction of Paid Partnership labels follows other changes aimed at reducing inauthentic activity. Last week, X restricted programmatic replies through its API, allowing automated responses only when the original author has @mentioned the user or quoted them.
The change is intended to limit large language model-generated spam and reduce the appearance of fabricated engagement, including automated replies that could simulate customer endorsements on sponsored posts.
Featured image credits: creativecommons.org
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