This is how badly X wants you to pay to promote your posts

<figure> <img alt="A screenshot of the X compose window with a large pointing arm superimposed over it." data-caption="" data-portal-copyright="Screenshot: Tom Warren / The Verge" data-has-syndication-rights="1" src="https://platform.theverge.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/10/xarm.jpg?quality=90&#038;strip=all&#038;crop=0,0,100,100" /> <figcaption> </figcaption> </figure> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">After <a href="https://www.theverge.com/news/1013118/elon-musk-says-he-wont-allow-ugly-ads-on-x">Elon Musk warned</a> that "advertisers who post ads that are ugly, shrill, strident or overstate claims about their product will be barred from advertising" on X earlier this month, the platform now appears to be using a jarring animated arm that reaches across the screen to draw attention to the "promote" button while users are composing a post.</p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Many X users have seen and shared images of the unsettling promotional tool, including <a href="https://x.com/tomwarren/status/2114852939450003710?a=2SP6M0eBSJYYkGN5jnY&amp;s=20"><em>The Verge's</em> Tom Warren</a>, but it doesn't appear for everyone on the platform. The arm seems limited to verified users, or those with a paid subscription to X Premium. Reactions, unsurprisingly, have been less tha …</p> <p><a href="https://www.theverge.com/tech/1020488/x-twitter-animated-hand-point-promote-posts">Read the full story at The Verge.</a></p>