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Elon Musk bans hashtags from ads on X, calls them "esthetic nightmare"
While the change applies strictly to paid advertisements, regular posts (non-sponsored content) on X will still be allowed to use hashtags.
The six-second video format may align with AI-generated content, as most current AI video generation tools typically produce short-form content.
In a bold move redefine the visual landscape of advertising on X, platform CEO Elon Musk announced that hashtags will be banned from all advertisements starting Friday.
Calling them an "esthetic nightmare," Musk said in a post on Thursday that the microblogging platform will no longer permit the use of hashtags in promotional content.
"Starting tomorrow, the esthetic nightmare that is hashtags will be banned from ads on X," Musk wrote on the platform.
Starting tomorrow, the esthetic nightmare that is hashtags will be banned from ads on ?
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 26, 2025
While the change applies strictly to paid advertisements, regular posts (non-sponsored content) on X will still be allowed to use hashtags.
This marks a clear distinction in Musk's effort to streamline the platform's visual appearance - especially for brand communications and marketing.
Hashtags, first introduced on the platform in 2007 when it was known as Twitter, revolutionized digital discourse by enabling users to group conversations and track trending topics. Over the years, they became integral to social media discovery and engagement.
However, Musk has long been critical of hashtags. Back in December 2024, he referred to them as "ugly" and unnecessary, suggesting that X's advanced AI systems - particularly the Grok chatbot developed by xAI - could seamlessly categorize and surface topics without the need for hashtagging.
"Please stop using hashtags. The system doesn't need them anymore and they look ugly," Musk had said in a response to a post at the time.
The latest ban on hashtag usage in advertisements aligns with Musk’s broader vision of creating a cleaner, AI-enhanced user interface on X.
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