X’s head of product Nikita Bier issued his strongest enforcement threat yet on February 21, 2026, demanding accounts disclose paid partnerships or face suspension. The warning came via direct reply to Infodex’s viral startup ranking post featuring Kalshi — a prediction market valued at $11 billion — where Bier stated: Add a follow-up reply disclosing that this is a paid promotion for Kalshi. Otherwise this will result in a suspension.
Most Valuable Startups of 2025 🦄
1. 🇺🇸 Thinking Machines (AI) — $12B
2. 🇺🇸 Kalshi (Fintech) — $11B 📈
3. 🇺🇸 Harvey (AI) — $8B 📈
4. 🇺🇸 OpenEvidence (Health AI) — $6B
5. 🇺🇸 Abridge (Biotech) — $5.3B
6. 🇺🇸 Supabase (Dev Tools) — $5B 📈
7. 🇺🇸 Baseten (AI) — $5B 📈
8. 🇺🇸 Quince… pic.twitter.com/8Wd4vHsUvU— Infodex (@infodexx) February 21, 2026
Add a follow-up reply disclosing that this is a paid promotion for Kalshi. Otherwise this will result in a suspension.
— Nikita Bier (@nikitabier) February 21, 2026
The intervention sparked immediate community discussion, with Creator Buddy CEO Alex Finn highlighting undisclosed advertising as one of the biggest problems with X at the moment
concentrated in prediction markets and AI tool promotions. Bier responded within hours: We are launching disclosure features for this next week.
one of the biggest problems with X at the moment is the onslaught of undisclosed advertising
mostly happens in prediction markets and AI. posts like this and AI influencers shilling AI tools that are clearly undisclosed ads
thanks for tackling these
— Alex Finn (@AlexFinn) February 21, 2026
We are launching disclosure features for this next week.
— Nikita Bier (@nikitabier) February 21, 2026
New Policy Scope: Gambling Banned, Clipping Accounts Targeted
The crackdown extends beyond simple disclosure requirements. Gambling-related paid partnerships — including lotteries, social casinos, sports betting, and wagering services — are now fully prohibited regardless of disclosure status. Prediction markets face similar restrictions despite operating in regulatory gray areas distinct from traditional gambling. Clipping accounts that repost videos, highlights, or content using hidden promotions or affiliate links face specific enforcement targeting when partnerships remain undisclosed.
Bier’s 2026 enforcement record demonstrates systematic platform cleanup: InfoFi apps banned January 15 after revoking API access from reward-for-posting services, low-content crypto posts suppressed through algorithmic reach penalties, third-party apps like Circleboom restricted, reply farming and engagement raids penalized, prediction market spam posts flagged, and now undisclosed advertisements targeted with suspension threats.
The Timing: Why Disclosure Features Launch “Next Week”
Announcing features one week before implementation suggests X’s disclosure system was already in development when Bier confronted Infodex publicly. The aggressive enforcement timeline — suspend accounts now, launch proper tools later — mirrors Bier’s January InfoFi ban that immediately revoked API access before providing transition support. The pattern reveals X’s product philosophy: enforce behavior change through policy threats, then introduce supporting infrastructure retroactively rather than building tools first.
The disclosure features likely include labeling systems similar to Instagram’s “Paid partnership with [Brand]” tags, automated detection flagging suspected undisclosed ads for manual review, and transparency reporting showing when posts contain commercial relationships. Whether accounts can self-label partnerships or face mandatory disclosure based on payment tracking remains unclear pending next week’s launch.
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