Elon Musk bans hashtags in ads on, sparking debate over the platform’s future

Starting June 27, 2025, advertisers on will no longer be able to use hashtags in their campaigns. Elon Musk, the platform’s owner, has banned them from ads, saying they’re visually unappealing and clutter the platform.

It’s a classic Musk move—decisive, opinionated, and already causing waves.

“Starting tomorrow, the esthetic nightmare that is hashtags will be banned from ads on ,” Musk said on X.

The announcement comes six months after Elon Musk publicly dismissed hashtags as outdated. In a post on December 24, he wrote, “Please stop using hashtags. The system doesn’t need them anymore, and they look ugly.”

Hashtags first appeared on Twitter in 2007 as a simple way to organize conversations and follow topics. What began as a functional tool quickly turned into a cultural force, fueling global movements like #BlackLivesMatter and viral trends like #ThrowbackThursday.

For years, they were key to visibility and engagement. But that era is fading. With smarter algorithms running the show, much of what hashtags once did is now handled automatically.

Musk’s Reasoning Behind The Ban

This isn’t the first time Musk has pushed back on elements he considers outdated. His issue with hashtags boils down to aesthetics. He sees them as a leftover from an earlier internet era, a time when platforms needed them to organize content before recommendation algorithms got smart.

Now that ’s feed is curated by AI, Musk argues hashtags serve no real purpose, at least in ads. He believes they make promotional posts look messy, dilute the message, and take away from the clean, content-first experience he wants to build.

Users Are Split

As with most things Musk does, this decision is dividing opinion.

Some users are on board. They’re tired of seeing strings of #Sale #BuyNow #Discount tags cluttering up their timelines. One post read, “The platform feels more polished without a string of #BuyThis #ShopNow tags,” echoing a common sentiment from users who value visual clarity.

Others aren’t so thrilled, especially small business owners and creators who’ve relied on hashtags to get noticed. “How am I supposed to get my ads seen without #SmallBusiness or #Handmade?” one user asked. The concern is real: hashtags help surface content to new audiences, especially when budgets are tight.

Marketers are also wary. Hashtags have been a go-to strategy for tying ads to trending topics or brand campaigns. Without them, they’ll likely have to lean more on algorithmic reach or spend more on paid placements—something that could reshape how ad dollars are spent on the platform.

Regular Posts Still Have Hashtags—For Now

The ban only affects ads. Regular posts can still use hashtags, but there’s speculation that this is just a test run. Some users have already noticed a drop in hashtag-driven content showing up in their feeds, hinting that the algorithm may be tuning them out.

That raises a fair question: if hashtags are “clutter” in ads, why keep them anywhere? Musk hasn’t addressed that directly, but analysts believe starting with ads lets test the waters without upsetting the broader user base too quickly.

Is This a Sign of Bigger Changes?

The ban fits into a pattern of changes Musk has made since taking over . He’s been reshaping the platform around real-time information, algorithmic discovery, and a sleeker interface. Removing hashtags in ads feels like part of that bigger vision.

It’s also a sign of how AI is starting to take over tasks users once did manually. If ’s system can already understand what content is about and serve it to the right audience, maybe hashtags aren’t needed anymore—or at least that’s Musk’s bet.

But many users still see hashtags as more than just metadata. They’re a way to join conversations, amplify causes, or find niche communities. Removing them entirely could change how users engage with altogether.

Should You Use Hashtags or Not?

If you’re still piling hashtags onto posts, it’s probably time to stop. They won’t help the algorithm, and they might just turn users off. Instead, focus on creating posts that get people to interact naturally. A great piece of content doesn’t need hashtags to get noticed.

As for brands, campaigns, or live events? There’s still room for the occasional hashtag when it truly fits. But Musk’s stance makes one thing clear: the hashtag era is over, and X is moving on.

What’s Next?

With the deadline approaching, advertisers are figuring out how to make their messages stand out without relying on hashtag tactics. Some may get creative. Others might push back. Either way, the change is happening.

This decision could end up being a blip—or the start of a bigger shift in how platforms approach content discovery and visual design.

As usual with , there’s no sitting still. Musk is steering hard in his own direction, and everyone else is figuring out how to keep up.