gifted
/ˈɡɪftɪd/
Very CommonA disclosure label used by creators to indicate a product was sent by a brand for free.
Gifted is often used to satisfy advertising standards regulations. Using it without payment does not always mean the creator's opinion is uninfluenced. The line between gifted and sponsored is contested in many markets.
Real-world examples4 examples
| # | Example | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | *gifted by Glossier - all opinions are my own | The product was free but the creator's review reflects their real thoughts. | instagram, 2023 |
| 02 | gifted but i would not recommend it, the formula is not it | Received the product free but still giving a negative review. | tiktok, 2024 |
| 03 | everything is gifted these days, it's hard to trust any review | So much content involves free products that finding unbiased reviews is difficult. | |
| 04 | not gifted, not sponsored, i bought this with my own money and i'm obsessed | The creator purchased the product independently and is recommending it genuinely. | youtube, 2022 |
Use it when
- Disclosing that a brand sent a product at no charge.
- Labeling content where a product was received but no money changed hands.
Do not use it when
- The brand also paid the creator to post.Use “ad” instead.
- You want to say something was received as a gift from a friend, not a brand.
Gifted vs sponsored
gifted
Gifted means free product only. No payment for the post.
VS
sponsored
Sponsored means the brand paid the creator, usually to post about the product.
Origin and context
Adopted as a disclosure label by creators in response to advertising standards regulations in the UK, US, and Australia requiring transparency about brand relationships. Became a standard caption tag across Instagram and TikTok in the 2010s.
- First seen
- mid-2010s
- Confidence
- high
Cite this page
Use this stable URL to reference the entry.
https://slang.fyi/giftedUpdated: 2026-08-28License: CC BY 4.0