How Do X (Twitter) Users Feel About Blue Ticks?

Blue ticks used to be considered a way for celebrities and public figures to maintain some semblance of authenticity online. It was essential because of the fact that this is the sort of thing that could potentially end up differentiating between legitimate and parody accounts as well as impersonators, but Elon Musk’s tenure has changed this dynamic considerable. It is now possible to acquire a blue verified badge simply by subscribing to X and paying a monthly fee.

It is important to note that this has changed how people feel about the blue tick in general. According to a survey conducted by YouGov on behalf of NewsGuard, 42% of X users think that a blue tick is solely obtained through payment. 25% are of the opinion that blue tick users received their distinction due to being accounts with high levels of authenticity, and 15% believed that the blue tick is a sign of higher credibility. 5% selected none of the options, and 13% said that they didn’t know.

It bears mentioning that around 6 in 10 of X users don't know that a blue tick could be purchased through a subscription, instead continuing to assume that they are marks of legitimacy. Such a belief is dangerous due to how it can make users trust accounts that have bought their verification status, many of which have spread misinformation across the sight.

With around 4 in 10 of users being aware of the paid nature of blue checks, the propensity for fake news to spread like wildfire will become a constant concern. Elon Musk’s free speech absolutism is clearly resulting in misconceptions among users, and bad actors are capitalizing on this to turn X into a place where no information can be fully trusted with all things having been considered and taken into account.

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The recent conflict between Hamas and Israel is bringing this into the light, with many unsubstantiated claims making the rounds. The blue checkmark is making consumers believe accounts that had no real credibility, and this is shaping up to be a massive issue that will likely become even worse in the near future as X turns into an even bigger echo chamber.

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by Zia Muhammad via Digital Information World