X rolls out paid partnership labels, clamps down on unlabelled AI posts

X has introduced paid partnership labels for creators as part of a broader push to crack down on undisclosed promotions and misleading AI content on the platform.

Under the feature, creators can add a paid partnership disclosure directly to posts, replacing the previous reliance on hashtags such as #ad or #sponsored.

The tool, unveiled by X’s head of product Nikita Bier, is designed to help users comply with advertising rules while increasing transparency around branded content.

“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.

“This new feature will allow you to comply with regulations, but more importantly it enables you to be transparent with your followers,” he added.

The move comes as X also tightened its rules around AI-generated content.

On Tuesday, the platform said it would suspend creators who post AI-generated videos of armed conflict without disclosure from its creator revenue-sharing programme for 90 days.

“During times of war, it is critical that people have access to authentic information on the ground. With today’s AI technologies, it is trivial to create content that can mislead people,” Bier wrote. 

X said enforcement will rely on a mix of AI detection tools and its crowdsourced fact-checking system, Community Notes. Repeat offenders also risk being permanently removed from X’s monetisation programme.

X has been open about its push to make the platform more attractive to content creators amid increased competition from rivals and the rapid growth of AI. In January, owner Elon Musk indicated the company would significantly increase payouts, while also stressing the need for stronger enforcement to prevent abuse of the system.

The platform first rolled out its creator monetisation programme in 2023, shifting its perception from a place largely used to share links from elsewhere to one where creators are encouraged to earn directly from original posts.

The programme has faced criticism over inconsistent payouts and opaque calculations.

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