Elon Musk’s company reverses paid verification policy, embarrassing some
Elon Musk has overturned a significant decision at X, the social network Twitter, by automatically verifying the most-followed users. Previously, he announced that users with over 2,500 verified subscriber follows would receive free “premium” status, and those with over 5,000 would get “premium+”. This policy is now in effect.
The paid-for tiers offer various benefits. The cheaper tier reduces advertisements and provides more prominent placement in the site’s algorithmic curation, while the more expensive tier includes access to X’s “anti-woke” AI chatbot Grok, no advertisements, and even higher priority for replies.
Both tiers are primarily recognized for the visible benefit of a blue tick next to the user’s profile. This verification mark, still called “verification” on the site, was previously limited to prominent users who had verified their identity. Under Musk, it was extended to any subscriber of the service’s paid tier, then called Twitter Blue.
To drive Blue subscriptions, Musk’s company began removing “legacy” checkmarks a year ago, aiming for prominent users to switch to the paid service, boosting revenue and account credibility. However, this move backfired, diminishing the social status of verified users in many communities. With the absence of respected users with visible checkmarks, the symbol became a mark of shame, indicating a desire to buy respect.
By August, the platform introduced the option to hide checkmarks completely to promote subscription for other features. Now, with the introduction of “free” ticks, users who never paid are unhappy with their new status.
“I’ve been bluechecked against my will,” tweeted journalist Marcy Wheeler. Wired writer Lauren Goode stated, “My blue check is back, and I want to clarify that I am not paying Elon Musk for this, thank you very much.”
The number of granted blue checks, and how many were unwanted, remains unclear. X, following Musk’s takeover, did not respond to requests for comments, as per the social network’s policy.