An X shadowban notice now tells users when governments have forced the platform to limit their posts. X announced on Monday that it will alert people when their posts have been “shadowbanned,” meaning shown to fewer people, because the company is complying with local laws.
The feature expands the social network’s earlier transparency tool called “Under the Hood.” That tool lets users see whether any labels have been applied to their account or their posts that could have affected visibility on the platform. The new update also highlights any downranking of a user’s posts due to government-required content filtering.
Why X Added the Notice
Previously, information about how an X user’s account or posts were being labeled and downranked was not available to end users. As a result, many people often accused the company, formerly known as Twitter, of having shadowbanned them.
Most companies that share data about government requests do so on an aggregate basis through transparency reports, not at the account or post level. X’s change gives individuals a direct view of moderation decisions that affect their own content.
How the Under the Hood Tool Works
X began rolling out its transparency tool in August. The “Under the Hood” option in the X app settings allows anyone who has posted at least 10 times during the month to download their aggregate stats as a JSON file, a standard data format. Non-technical users can drop the file into any AI chatbot to have it explained.
The same process will now show if an account or its posts have had visibility limited because X is complying with local laws. The file will also include which posts were withheld in a country following a legal demand, and which country made the request.
What Users Will See in the File
For everyday users, the practical effect is a clearer record. If reach drops, a user can check whether a label, a downranking, or a government demand is responsible instead of assuming the platform acted quietly.
The download also identifies the specific posts affected and the country that issued the request. It does not reverse the restriction. It documents it, giving users something they previously lacked: a record they can point to.
Reasons Governments Cite for Demands
Governments cite a range of reasons for such demands, from laws against hate speech to terrorism-related content to election rules. Critics, including free-expression groups, say some countries also use these laws to squash political dissent.
Because the notice names the requesting country, users can see for themselves which legal framework sits behind a given restriction rather than guessing at the cause.
Part of a Wider Transparency Push
The update follows a number of other transparency-related efforts at X. These include the open-sourcing of its “For You” algorithm, which selects the posts in users’ main feed, and an expansion of its efforts to open source parts of its codebase.
That codebase expansion added more detail, including on the model configuration, filtering, and core ranking system details. The code now includes the parameters used to weight different signals, which is key to understanding which posts are actually displayed.
At the time of that open-sourcing effort, X’s vice president of product, Keith Coleman, said it was “the kind of thing that I think people will be fairly shocked that we are releasing.”
What This Means Going Forward
The X shadowban notice does not settle the long-running debate over how platforms moderate speech. It does give users a clearer window into when a government, rather than the platform alone, is behind a limit on reach.
Whether that level of disclosure satisfies critics of content moderation remains an open question. For now, users who suspect their posts are being suppressed have a way to check, and a document that names the country involved.
