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X Reveals Government-Imposed Post Restrictions with Expanded Transparency Tool
- •X has updated its "Under the Hood" transparency tool to inform users when their post reach is limited due to compliance with local government laws.
- •The expanded feature will now specify if an account or post's visibility was reduced because of a government or local-law requirement, including the country and affected posts.
- •This update addresses long-standing user concerns about "shadowbanning" by providing clear explanations for content restrictions.
- •Users can access this information via a downloadable JSON file, detailing government-related content limitations, which posts were affected, and the requesting country.
- •Government requests for content restriction can stem from various laws, including those concerning hate speech, terrorism, or election regulations, varying by country.
Key Questions Answered
Qualifying users who have posted at least 10 times during the relevant month can access this information through the app's settings by downloading their account data as a JSON file via the “Under the Hood” transparency tool. This structured file can reveal if visibility was reduced to comply with local laws, which posts were affected, and the country linked to the request. Because the file uses structured data, users without technical knowledge can open it with suitable software or use an AI chatbot to help explain it.
The expanded feature builds on a transparency system introduced in August and can show whether X reduced the visibility of an account or its posts because of a government or local-law requirement. It can identify posts that were withheld in a particular country following a legal demand and show the country associated with the request. Additionally, the tool provides information about labels applied to accounts or posts and other factors affecting content distribution.
Government requests can arise under various laws and regulations depending on the country. Authorities may seek restrictions involving areas such as hate speech, terrorism-related material, election regulations, or other forms of content covered by local law. When X receives a valid legal request from an authorized entity, the company can take enforcement action on content in the relevant jurisdiction.
