Elon Musk's social media platform, X, formerly Twitter, has started gifting out blue checkmarks to some users, who don't appear ecstatic about it. In fact, some of them are even trying to find ways to remove it.
What Happened: As per the tech billionaire's announcement last week, Musk’s X has apparently started distributing free Premium and Premium+ memberships to users with a high number of verified followers, along with the once coveted blue checkmark.
Users with over 2,500 and 5,000 “verified subscriber followers” receive free Premium and Premium+ memberships. This move has led to many users unexpectedly finding the blue checkmark next to their handles despite not subscribing to any of X’s paid tiers.
However, not everyone seems to be happy with it. One user on X also asked, "How do I opt out," while another person wanted to clarify that they had not paid for this subscription which inadvertently comes with the blue check.
Users also shared the note they received from X regarding this new gift, with one person highlighting the irony, saying that the platform is giving back blue checkmarks to influential people. "They have simply reinvented the original blue check."
What Is The Background: Before Musk acquired the social media platform for $44 billion in October 2022, the blue checkmark was typically associated with public figures such as celebrities, politicians, and journalists.
However, Musk's decision to introduce paid verification allowed users to acquire the checkmark by purchasing a Premium membership. Many users who were verified before but refused to pay for the membership lost their checkmarks.
Previously, Musk also restored the checkmarks of some high-profile individuals like Steven King and LeBron James. Others like Taylor Swift and Rihanna decided to take the subscription to keep their blue checkmarks.
Why It Matters: Last week, the tech billionaire also urged users to pay for the blue checkmark, stating that it was the only way to keep X free from advertiser-driven censorship. "Subscribing is the only way to ensure that major brand advertisers cannot demand censorship of this platform," he said.
As per a March report from Sensor Tower, the daily active user count on X in the U.S. dipped to 27 million in February, marking an 18% decrease from the last year. Globally, this number declined to 174 million, reflecting a 15% drop during the same period.
Check out more of Benzinga's Consumer Tech coverage by following this link.
Read Next: Elon Musk Takes Another Dig At John Oliver, Says The Comedian ‘Hasn't Been Funny For Years'
Image Source: Shutterstock
Subscribe to the Benzinga Tech Trends newsletter to get all the latest tech developments delivered to your inbox.
© 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
Comments
Trade confidently with insights and alerts from analyst ratings, free reports and breaking news that affects the stocks you care about.
