How to Disclose Sponsored Content: Paid Partnership Labels on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube

Brand deals, gifted products, affiliate codes: if something of value is behind a video, you need to disclose it. Each platform has its own toggle, and the law in the US, UK and EU adds its own expectations on top.

This guide is a practical overview, not legal advice.

What counts as branded content

Generally, you need to disclose if you have a connection to a brand you show or mention. That includes:

• a paid deal or sponsorship
• free or discounted products ("PR packages," "gifted")
• affiliate links or discount codes
• working for, owning or being related to the business

The FTC says gifts count, and that you should disclose "even if you weren't asked to mention that product" (FTC Disclosures 101). If you bought something yourself and have no relationship with the brand, there's nothing to disclose.

TikTok

The rule: "If you're posting commercial content on TikTok, you must clearly disclose it using the content disclosure setting" (Regulated Goods and Commercial Activities). That includes promoting your own business.

How: turn on Disclose commercial content when posting (Creator Academy).

• Choosing Your brand adds a "Promotional content" label.
• Choosing Branded content adds a "Paid partnership" label.

A #ad hashtag alone doesn't satisfy TikTok's rule.

If you don't: TikTok "may reduce its visibility or apply the content disclosure setting." And: "Repeated failure to make a disclosure can lead to your account being temporarily restricted from posting content, or can lead to an account ban." Sponsored content also never earns Creator Rewards.

Restricted categories: TikTok's Branded Content Policy bans some industries outright. Others, like alcohol, gambling, financial services and medicine, are allowed but "will only be shown in the market it was posted in and may be age restricted." The product also has to be clear in the video itself, "without requiring viewers to access your profile page or any links."

Instagram and Facebook

The rule: "Branded content may only be posted with the use of the branded content tool, and creators must use the branded content tool to tag the featured third party product, brand, or business partner with their prior permission" (Meta Branded Content Policies).

How: turn on the Paid partnership label when posting and tag the brand.

Restrictions: some products can't be promoted with branded content at all, and others need age or location limits. Alcohol, for example, is banned in some countries and has country-specific minimum ages. Meta also says not to put title cards in a branded video's first three seconds.

YouTube

The rule: "If your video contains branded content, you must let us know using the paid promotion declaration in Studio" (YouTube Branded Content Policies).

How: in YouTube Studio, check the paid promotion box in the video's details (YouTube Help).

What's new: since September 2026, YouTube's systems may detect undeclared promotions and apply the label automatically. Undisclosed branded content may be removed.

Also note:

• Some product categories are banned from branded content, and the policy covers the whole video, not just the sponsored segment.
• Alcohol, gambling, finance, health and political sponsors need extra steps. You're responsible for confirming brand partners are certified by Google where needed, and you can set age limits from 18 up to 25+.
• You can't edit an advertiser's ready-made video ad into your content.

The law: the toggle isn't always enough

Platform labels help, but regulators expect more.

US (FTC). "The disclosure should be in the video and not just in the description uploaded with the video." The FTC also says "Don't assume that a platform's disclosure tool is good enough" and warns against hiding your disclosure in a pile of hashtags (FTC Disclosures 101). US rules can apply to creators abroad when it's "reasonably foreseeable that the post will affect U.S. consumers."

UK (ASA and CMA). The ASA asks for "a clear and prominent 'Ad' label upfront before people view the rest of the content" (ASA influencer guide). It advises against labels like "sponsored," "gifted," "collab" or "in partnership with" on their own. A platform's paid partnership label can be enough only if it's upfront, clear and prominent.

EU. Paid promotion that isn't clearly identifiable as an ad is banned under the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive. Some countries have stricter influencer laws.

A simple approach that works across all three: say "Ad" or "This video is sponsored by X" out loud at the start, put "Ad" on screen, keep it in the caption, and turn on the platform toggle.

Myths to drop

• "#ad in my hashtags is enough." Both the FTC and the ASA say a disclosure buried in hashtags doesn't cut it.
• "The Paid partnership toggle covers me legally." Not necessarily. Disclose in the video too.
• "Free products don't count." They do.
• "'Sponsored' works everywhere." It's accepted in the US, but the UK ASA advises "Ad."
• "Disclosing in the YouTube description is fine." The FTC wants it in the video.
• "Disclosure hurts reach." TikTok, for one, penalizes not disclosing.

Quick checklist

• [ ] Any paid deal, gift, affiliate link, code or business tie? Then disclose.
• [ ] Platform toggle on: Disclose commercial content (TikTok), Paid partnership (Meta), paid promotion (YouTube)
• [ ] "Ad" or "sponsored by" said and shown in the first seconds of the video
• [ ] Disclosure in the caption, not hidden in hashtags
• [ ] The product is clear in the video itself
• [ ] Restricted category (alcohol, gambling, finance, health)? Age and country limits set
• [ ] Claims about the product are ones the brand can back up

Make sure nothing slips through

FYProof listens for brand cues like "use my code," "thanks to" and "gifted" and checks whether your video has a clear disclosure for each platform you're posting to, plus US, UK and EU rules. Results are risk ratings, not guarantees, and not legal advice. FYProof is in free beta. Join the waitlist at https://fyproof.com.