Hiding the blue checkmark on X will no longer be an option
Since buying Twitter and transforming it into X, Elon Musk and his team have been busy rolling out a bunch of new features such as video and audio calls or job listings, subscription plans, and other updates over the past year. Now, they're making another change, though it's a smaller one this time.
Tech media outlet Engadget reported that X will soon stop letting users hide their blue verification checkmarks, whether they're paying for a premium account or not. The app began telling users that the option to hide their checkmarks in X Premium will be removed soon.
This update follows a move where X started giving blue checkmarks to "influential" users who have at least 2,500 followers and subscribe to a premium plan.
Elon Musk says this change is supposed to be a perk, but not everyone's happy about it. Some users, especially those who were already verified before, don't like the blue badge popping up on their profiles because it might look like they're paying for something that used to be free.
Originally, the blue checkmark was a way to show an account was officially verified and belonged to a public figure like a celebrity, politician, or journalist. It was free and based on certain criteria.
Under Musk, this checkmark became part of the X Premium (formerly Twitter Blue) package, meaning anyone who pays for it gets one. This has caused some backlash because it made verification seem like something you could buy, lowering its value. This could be why the option to hide the checkmark was originally included.
Despite the reasons users might have for wanting to hide it, X is moving forward with removing the ability to do so. This update is still rolling out, so it might not be visible on all accounts just yet.
BREAKING: #X seems to be removing the ability to hide the verification checkmark! pic.twitter.com/1Kn2OU4puj
— Nima Owji (@nima_owji) April 11, 2024
Elon Musk says this change is supposed to be a perk, but not everyone's happy about it. Some users, especially those who were already verified before, don't like the blue badge popping up on their profiles because it might look like they're paying for something that used to be free.
Under Musk, this checkmark became part of the X Premium (formerly Twitter Blue) package, meaning anyone who pays for it gets one. This has caused some backlash because it made verification seem like something you could buy, lowering its value. This could be why the option to hide the checkmark was originally included.
Despite the reasons users might have for wanting to hide it, X is moving forward with removing the ability to do so. This update is still rolling out, so it might not be visible on all accounts just yet.
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