TechCrunch Daily Crunch X is testing a new ad format that connects posts with products
Mar 7, 2026
A rundown of Nintendo suing the U.S. for tariff refunds after a Supreme Court ruling. A look at Claude’s surprising consumer growth following the Pentagon controversy. A description of X testing product suggestions beneath posts and new paid partnership labels for creators and marketers.
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Nintendo Seeks Refund After Tariff Ruling
- Nintendo sued the U.S. seeking refunds for tariffs tied to Trump-era orders after the Supreme Court struck them down.
- Nintendo filed in the U.S. Court of International Trade alleging over $200 billion was collected on imports under those tariffs.
Claude Gains Users After Pentagon Dispute
- Claude's mobile app downloads and daily active users surged after Anthropics resisted Pentagon demands.
- AppFigures showed March 2 downloads: Claude 149,000 versus ChatGPT 124,000; SimilarWeb reported 11.3 million daily users for Claude.
X Aims For Ads That Feel Like Recommendations
- The ad test aims to feel like a native suggestion rather than an explicit ad, per ex-product lead Nikita Bier.
- Placeholder boxes appear under posts when the test isn't live in a region, while the live test shows the actual advertiser link.