X Adds Transparency Tool Showing Government-Required Post Restrictions

X has introduced a new transparency feature that will tell users when their posts have reduced visibility because the company is complying with local government requests. The platform announced the update through its official X Open Source account.

The feature expands X’s existing “Under the Hood” transparency tool, which allows users to view labels and account information that may affect how their posts appear on the platform. The updated system will now also show when posts have been downranked or withheld due to government-required content filtering.

More Details on Post Visibility Decisions

Previously, users had limited visibility into whether their posts were affected by moderation labels or government-related restrictions. X said the updated transparency file will include details about posts withheld in specific countries and identify where legal requests originated.

The company’s transparency efforts began expanding earlier with tools that allow users to download account visibility data as a JSON file. Users can review the information themselves or use AI tools to help interpret it.

Governments may request content restrictions for reasons including laws related to hate speech, terrorism-related material, or election regulations. Digital rights groups have argued that some governments can also use such laws to restrict political expression.

X Expands Algorithm Transparency

The update follows other transparency initiatives from X, including publishing parts of its recommendation algorithm and opening additional parts of its codebase. The company has also shared more details about ranking systems, filtering methods, and the signals used to determine which posts appear in users’ feeds.

X says these efforts are designed to provide users with more information about how content visibility decisions are made on the platform.