by Patricia Harrity, Expose News:
X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, will now require X Blue users to submit a selfie alongside a photo of a government-issued ID, according to PC Magazine. The move is apparently “part of a drive to add an additional layer of security against impersonation and fraud.” Will there be anyone on the X platform who will happily hand their data to a tech firm that allegedly has links to the intelligence unit of the Israeli Occupation Forces?
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Verification Changes
Monthly subscription fees were imposed on verified Twitter users in November 2022. Verification was then extended to any account with a verified phone number and an active subscription to an eligible Twitter Blue plan. On April 1, Twitter announced it would begin removing its legacy verification programme and removing legacy verified checkmarks.
Apparently, these changes led to fears that impersonation would be easier on the platform and hand false credibility to accounts that spread misinformation, according to Al Jazeera. In response, the platform, introduced gold and grey checkmarks, used by verified organisations and government-affiliated accounts, respectively.
In July 2023, Musk announced that Twitter would be rebranded as X and the latest X verification process, which requires a selfie and a government-issued ID. (Aljazeera ).
Blue Verification
X Blue, is the platform’s so-called “premium subscription service,” which allows paid users to gain a number of features on the app, including the ability to edit posts and share longer video clips. It also prioritizes subscribed users’ rankings in conversations below posts and searches, effectively giving Blue subscribers more engagement with a wider audience. But perhaps most importantly, subscribing to X Blue gives users a “blue check” mark, verifying their account.
While many of us may have assumed that the paid-for verification was to add to Musk’s Billions, seems we were wrong. According to Elon Musk, it is because “Past bot defenses are failing. Only subscription works at scale.” Musk says that the verification would “effectively eliminate bot spam entirely”, which aligns with one of his key intentions for the app.
However, being Blue verified, is not the status symbol that was once coveted, and many users are being mocked for spending $8 for the privilege, resulting in X enabling “Blue” subscribers to hide the “blue check” verification (source).
It may be possible that the Blue Users may not wish to subscribe at all in the very near future, as their “personal information required by the verification process will be handled by the Israeli company AU10TIX software which will store the information for up to 30 days.” (Source)
