Sponsored-content disclosure

When you create content in exchange for payment, a game key, early access, a free product or another benefit, your audience needs a clear disclosure of that commercial relationship. The campaign brief may set a required wording or hashtag; applicable law and platform rules can require more.

This is practical product guidance, not legal advice. Requirements vary by market and platform. Obtain qualified advice for a campaign with specific legal or regulatory constraints.

The practical rule: clear, visible and close to the content

Your disclosure should be easy for an ordinary viewer to notice and understand before or while they engage with the endorsement. Do not hide it in a profile bio, at the end of a long caption, inside a cluster of unrelated hashtags or behind a “more” link.

Use plain, unambiguous wording in the language your audience understands. For example:

• Ad: paid partnership with [Studio]
• Sponsored by [Studio]
• I received a free game key from [Studio] for this campaign

Use the wording required by the campaign brief if it provides one. Do not use vague shorthand such as #sp, #collab or a standalone “thanks” as your only disclosure.

Adapt disclosure to the format

Format	Good operational practice
Short-form video	Put a clear on-screen disclosure where viewers can read it, and add it to the caption where appropriate.
Long-form video	Make the disclosure visible and spoken near the beginning; do not rely only on the description.
Live content	State the relationship clearly and repeat it periodically for viewers who join later. Live campaigns are currently coming soon in Ripple.
Static post or story	Put the disclosure on or immediately next to the image/story long enough to be noticed, not only in a later caption line.

Platform “paid partnership” tools can be helpful, but do not assume they alone satisfy every disclosure obligation. Use them when appropriate and still follow the campaign brief and local rules.

Apply it on every relevant publication

If a campaign requires publication on more than one platform, make the disclosure on each public video or post. A disclosure on YouTube does not automatically cover a TikTok, Instagram or Facebook version.

Before publication, check:

1. the campaign’s required disclosure and hashtags;
2. the exact platform and format you are publishing on;
3. the placement and readability of the wording; and
4. that the final public post still contains the disclosure after publishing.

Ripple does not automatically verify hashtags or disclosures after publication. Required hashtags and disclosures remain brief requirements that the studio checks during review.

Studio responsibilities

Studios should state the expected disclosure clearly in the campaign brief and make any required brand, game or legal wording easy for creators to access. A studio may enforce mandatory campaign rules in review, but should not leave disclosure requirements vague and expect creators to infer them.

Regional references

Ripple serves creators and studios in Canada (including Québec), the European Union and the United States. The basic expectation across these markets is transparent commercial intent, but country- and platform-specific requirements differ.

• United States: the FTC’s influencer disclosure guidance explains material connections, clear placement and video/live disclosure.
• European Union: the European Commission’s Influencer Legal Hub provides consumer-protection resources for advertising and influencer activity.
• Canada and Québec: follow applicable advertising, consumer-protection and platform rules, and obtain local advice when the campaign has market-specific requirements.

For payout implications, read View verification and payout eligibility.