X started rolling out a new ad format on the platform this week that evades disclosure of who the advertiser is, and whether the post is even an advertisement at all.
Users reported seeing this unusually formatted ad on their For You feed. The ad format prohibits users from being able to take any action on the post including liking, reposting, or even reporting the ad.
Mashable confirmed that the ad format contains a small amount of text, a photo, and a faux avatar in order to give the post a natural feel on the platform.
“This Seems Unbelievable, But Happens in Dubai Everyday,” reads one ad, which directs users to a third-party website, after clicking anywhere within the ad, including the profile picture of the account.
So far these ads have only been reported within X’s mobile app.
Since Musk’s takeover of Twitter and his subsequent rebranding effort, the social media platform’s monthly U.S. ad revenue has declined “at least 55% year-over-year each month,” Reuters reported.
During an interview at the Code Conference, X CEO Linda Yaccarino predicted that the platform would be able to turn a profit in 2024 because 1,500 brands have returned to the platform over the last few weeks, she claimed.
In other recent changes to the social media platform, X officially removed article headlines for links shared on Wednesday. Musk warned the change was coming in August.
Users across the platform have complained about the new format, which solely includes a featured image from the article with no additional context. Musk claims that this is an attempt to improve the aesthetics of the X feed.
The change was met with users mocking the new format, adding false and often inappropriate context regarding Musk to articles that no longer show a headline when posted to X.
