Two sources of disclosure rules
Disclosure requirements come from two places. The first is the platform: TikTok, Meta, and YouTube each have policies on AI-generated content and typically offer a toggle or label for realistic synthetic media in their ad tools. The second is the law: consumer-protection authorities in the US and Europe prohibit misleading advertising, and some jurisdictions are adding rules that specifically target AI-generated media. Platform rules tend to change more often, so they are the ones to re-check most frequently.
What usually needs a label
- A photorealistic AI person speaking to camera as if they were a real customer or creator.
- Realistic scenes that show something that never happened, such as a real public figure endorsing your product.
- Altered footage of real people, including face-swap on real creators.
- Content on sensitive topics where the platform applies stricter rules, such as politics or health.
Obvious stylization, animation, product renders, and background edits are typically treated differently from realistic synthetic people, but the boundary is set by each platform, not by you.
How to disclose without hurting the ad
Disclosure does not have to be a full-screen warning. In practice it means three things: use the AI-content label the platform provides in its ad manager when it applies; do not describe the video as a real customer testimonial if the person is synthetic; and keep product claims accurate. Many advertisers also add a light on-screen note or a line in the caption. The label is metadata for the viewer and the platform, and the creative can still look and feel like normal UGC.
A practical checklist before publishing
- Open the current AI-content policy page for the platform you are buying ads on.
- If the video shows a realistic AI influencer, turn on the AI or altered-media label where the ad tool offers it.
- Frame the video as an ad or demo, not as an unsolicited review.
- Keep a copy of the policy version you followed, in case the rule changes later.
- Re-check the policy each time you launch a new campaign or enter a new market.
This is general guidance, not legal advice. Rules on AI disclosure are evolving; when in doubt, disclose.