Josiah
X, previously known as Twitter, has implemented a significant policy change by granting blue ticks to its most “influential” users.
Users with over 2,500 verified followers, who are already subscribed to X Premium, are now receiving premium features at no extra cost. Alongside the blue tick verification, these users will experience a reduction in advertisements on the platform.
Additionally, X has announced a crackdown on bots, which may lead to a decrease in follower numbers for some users.
Originally, blue ticks were used to verify the authenticity of users, but they transitioned into a paid feature after Elon Musk acquired the platform. However, recent messages received by select users indicate that these features are now being provided for free to individuals deemed as “influential members of the community”.
Premium users also enjoy benefits such as having their tweets ranked higher in replies and the ability to apply for revenue sharing from advertisements on the platform.
Furthermore, individuals with over 5,000 verified followers are granted free access to Premium+, which offers almost ad-free browsing and further boosts the visibility of their tweets when replying to others.
This update follows an announcement made by Mr. Musk in late March. Prior to Mr. Musk’s acquisition of X, blue ticks were freely awarded by the platform as a means of verification.
Originally intended to authenticate users and combat fake accounts and misinformation, the blue tick was once considered a symbol of authority on the platform, reserved for celebrities, government officials, and journalists. Mr. Musk criticized this system, referring to it as fostering a divide between “lords and peasants”.
