X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, has introduced a new transparency feature that informs users when their posts have been "shadowbanned," or shown to fewer people, due to government-mandated content restrictions. This update builds on X's existing "Under the Hood" tool, which previously allowed users to see if labels affecting their post visibility had been applied. Now, the tool will also specify when posts or accounts have been downranked or withheld to comply with local laws, including identifying the country that requested the content limitation.

The transparency data is available to users who have posted at least 10 times in the past month and can be accessed through the app’s settings as a downloadable JSON file. While this format may be technical, users can use AI chatbots to interpret the information. This level of detail is a departure from the common industry practice of sharing government content moderation requests only in aggregate annual reports, offering users direct insight into how their own content is affected by legal demands.

Government requests for content removal on X arise from a variety of grounds, such as laws targeting hate speech, terrorism-related content, or election regulations. However, critics argue that some governments exploit these laws to suppress political dissent, underscoring the importance of X’s decision to make this information widget-style accessible to users. The move follows other transparency-focused initiatives by X, including publicly open-sourcing its main timeline algorithm and exposing detailed ranking parameters that influence post visibility.

X’s latest update was announced on September 21, 2026, alongside ongoing efforts to open-source parts of its platform code and provide more granular transparency around content moderation. Keith Coleman, X’s vice president of product, expressed that these revealing measures would surprise many users and signal a push toward greater openness in how the platform enforces rules and complies with government interventions worldwide.