This page provides general information and is not legal advice. Rules change frequently — verify current requirements with your school's compliance office or a licensed attorney before acting. Last verified: August 2026.
Every sponsored post is regulated speech. The FTC's rule is simple to say and constantly violated: if there's a material connection between you and a brand, your audience must be told — clearly, every time.
What triggers disclosure
Any material connection: payment, free product, discounts, a family relationship with the business, or even a contest entry. If the brand gave you anything and you're posting about them, disclosure applies — including "I just love this brand" posts where the love arrived with a check.
How to disclose properly
- Clear words: #ad, #sponsored, "Paid partnership with X" — unambiguous terms. "#sp", "#collab", and "#thanks" don't cut it.
- Can't-miss placement: in the caption before the "more" fold, on the video itself for Stories/TikToks (many viewers watch muted), and said out loud in spoken content.
- Every post — disclosure doesn't carry over from yesterday's post or live in your bio.
- Platform tools are a floor, not a ceiling — use "Paid partnership" labels and plain-language disclosure.
Who's on the hook
You are — the endorser has personal responsibility, regardless of what the brand or an agent says. Brands face FTC exposure too, which is why legitimate contracts require disclosure. A brand that asks you to hide the relationship is asking you to break federal rules — treat it as a walk-away red flag.
Disclaimer
The information on this page is provided for general educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. It is not a substitute for consultation with a licensed attorney in your state, and reviewing this page does not create an attorney-client relationship between you and My NIL Guide, JSL Lead Enterprises, L.L.C., its owners, or any affiliated person.
NIL laws and school/athletic-association policies vary by state and change frequently. While we work to keep this information current, we do not guarantee its accuracy, completeness, or applicability to your specific situation. Before entering into any NIL agreement or relying on information about your state's rules, consult your school's compliance office and/or a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction.
About the "verified as of" date: it shows the last time we checked this page against the official published rules (the state athletic association's policy, state law, or the agency named in the sources above). Rules can change at any time after that date, so before acting on anything important, double-check directly with the original source, your school's compliance office, or a licensed attorney. This page was last verified on August 2026. If you believe any information here is outdated or inaccurate, please contact us.
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