X Secretly Shows Labelless Ads On Users' Linetime

DOC X

JAKARTA - Twitter's rebranding platform, X secretly displays labelless advertisements on the timeline.

This type of ad will be visible when the user finds a post from an unfollowed account, and it is likely an unlabeled ad.

Some of the X users reported that they had identified ad posts that removed their labels when they clicked on the three-dot menu in Tweet.

This label actually serves to determine that a post is a paid ad content and not an organic Tweet from user X.

These unlabeled ads are visible in the For You tab, including algorithmically recommended content, as well as in the Following tab which only displays content uploads and is retweeted by user-followed accounts.

WOW. It looks like X is no longer marking all paid posts as “ads.” A follower sent me this screenshot, saying that they viewed this unmarked ad from @realsaltlake a “couple of times” on the Following tab. pic.twitter.com/heBTQokU4O

— Nandini Jammi (@nandoodles) September 6, 2023

WOW. It looks like X is no longer marking all pairs as ads. A follower sent me this screenshot, saying that they viewed this unmarked ad from @realsaltlake a couple of times on the Following tab. pic.twitter.com/heBTQokU4O

However, paid advertising run through the advertiser platform X still appears on both lines. Policy and partnership director at Check My Ads, Sarah Kay Wiley commented on the matter.

Wiley said he saw that many users shared screenshots of unlabeled ads. According to him, the move X contradicts the rules of the American Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

"The lack of labeling is misleading to consumers and contradicts FTC guidelines on advertising in a fraudulent format," Wiley told Mashable, quoted on Saturday, September 9.

"When advertisers grapple with how Twitter brands are becoming insecure, it has the potential to be a big responsibility for any brand advertising on Twitter."

If users X are annoyed by posts from accounts that they don't follow appear on the timeline, which is an unlabeled ad, they simply click or tap on the three-dot icon located in the upper right corner.

The drop-down menu will display the option "Not interested in this ad" followed by sad face emoji. There are also additional menu items such as "Report ads" and "Why is this ad?". Then the user just selects the desired option.