Do paid posts on X need to be disclosed?

The answer is yes, and it comes from two places: US advertising law and X's own rules. Nothing here is legal advice; it explains what the FTC and X publish.

What counts as a paid post that needs disclosure?

A post needs disclosure whenever the creator has a material connection to the brand, not only when cash changes hands. The FTC's Disclosures 101 guide says plainly: "If a brand gives you free or discounted products or other perks and then you mention one of its products, make a disclosure even if you weren't asked to mention that product."

Connections that count: payment; a free or discounted product, even a loan; a commission (affiliate links, discount codes); equity in the business, per 16 CFR 255.5; and an ongoing deal, like a brand ambassador role, covering every post made under it.

The Endorsement Guides, codified at 16 CFR Part 255 and last updated in 2023, require disclosure when a reasonable audience wouldn't already expect the connection, modernizing 2009 guidance to cover social media and fake reviews directly (2023 update). They don't require disclosing every connection, only one that would change how much weight a reasonable person gives the endorsement.

How does the FTC say a disclosure should actually look?

A disclosure has to sit next to the claim, in plain words, where a reader cannot miss it. The FTC's Disclosures 101 guide calls for disclosures "hard to miss," part of the post itself, not in a bio, video description, or behind a "more" button.

Plain language works; vague shortcuts don't.

For video and live content, repeat the disclosure rather than state it once, since viewers join at different times.

How does X's paid partnership label work, and who's responsible?

X has a built-in disclosure tool, separate from writing "#ad" yourself. Per X's Paid Partnerships Policy, a post counts as a paid partnership if the product was gifted, the creator was paid in money or kind, the post carries an affiliate link, or there's a commercial agreement like a brand ambassador role. That bar requires the Paid Partnership disclosure turned on in X's settings, with the creator tagging the brand so the label reads "Paid Partnership with @Brand." The poster is responsible for complying with advertising law, not just X's settings.

Both the brand and the creator carry liability. The FTC's FAQ on the Endorsement Guides puts the duty on the creator directly: it's their job to disclose and comply. It puts a separate duty on the brand to have "reasonable programs in place to train and monitor members of their network." If skipped: "Your company is ultimately responsible for what others do on your behalf."

Every paid post booked through Goated is disclosed as a paid partnership, one way a brand shows it built disclosure in rather than leaving it to chance.

What does a compliant launch post look like, by format?

It comes down to two things: is the connection named, and is the label on.

Where it sits depends on the format:

What mistakes make a disclosure fail?

Burying it in a bio or linked page that doesn't cover a claim made elsewhere. Vague shorthand like "collab," "sp," or a lone emoji. Turning the label on but writing nothing, since the FTC still expects the post itself to name the connection. Disclosing once in a long thread, when readers join partway through. And assuming the brand's own disclosure covers the creator: each paid post needs its own.

Every paid post booked through Goated is disclosed as a paid partnership. See how a full launch comes together in the launch playbook, read how Goated works, or start a campaign.