X unveils paid partnership label to replace hashtags

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TLDR

The social media platform X has introduced a native “Paid Partnership” label allowing creators to clearly disclose sponsored or paid content directly under their posts — replacing informal hashtag tags like #ad or #paidpartnership. The tool aims to boost transparency, help creators comply with advertising disclosure standards, and make the user experience cleaner and more authentic.

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X — formerly known as Twitter — has rolled out a new built-in Paid Partnership label designed to help creators and influencers clearly mark sponsored content on the platform. Until now, many creators manually added hashtags like #ad or #paidpartnership to signal paid promotions, a workaround that lacked consistency and clarity.  

With the new feature, creators will see a simple toggle they can enable when composing a post. Once applied, the Paid Partnership label appears directly beneath the post’s text or media. Importantly, creators can also apply this label retroactively, meaning older posts that were initially published without proper disclosure can be updated to meet advertising compliance standards. 

“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.” — Nikita Bier, X head of product, on the introduction of Paid Partnership labels.

Why this matters

Advertising disclosures on social platforms have long been the subject of regulatory scrutiny. In the United States, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) requires that paid content be clearly and conspicuously identified so users are not misled. While other major platforms such as Instagram and YouTube introduced native disclosure tags years ago, X had relied on informal tags, which could be inconsistent and difficult for users to interpret.  

X’s head of product, Nikita Bier, said the new label helps creators be transparent with followers and align with disclosure expectations — a move toward building trust on the platform. Creators who do undisclosed promotions risk eroding credibility among audiences, and ambiguous labeling can create regulatory risk for both creators and advertisers.  

Simpler transparency, tighter compliance

Before this update, creators on X had to rely on hashtag disclosures or explicit wording like “Ad” or “Promoted Content,” which could clutter posts and remain unclear to some audiences. The Paid Partnership label replaces that manual process with a consistent visual cue that is difficult to miss — and that also matches industry practices seen on other platforms.  

Because the label can be added after posting, creators don’t need to interrupt their posting flow if they forget to label content at publish time. This retrofit option may also benefit brands conducting post-campaign audits and compliance reviews.  

Filling a gap in creator tools

The new feature arrives as part of X’s broader push to attract and retain creators with monetization tools such as ad revenue sharing, creator subscriptions, and payouts for viral content. A clearer disclosure overlay may appeal to advertisers seeking greater transparency and predictable metrics — a shift especially relevant now that digital advertising continues to evolve rapidly.  

Though the label does not automatically resolve all ad-related challenges — for instance, it does not substitute for explicit contractual agreements between creators and sponsors — it represents a platform-level improvement in how sponsored content is signaled to audiences and regulators alike.  

Ahead for X

This native Paid Partnership label underscores X’s intention to bring its creator tools closer in line with industry norms, helping make sponsored content both more transparent for users and easier for creators to manage. As the platform continues to refine how ads and promotions are displayed, both creators and brands may find X an increasingly viable space for sponsored social engagement