X is allowing terrorist groups to pay for blue ticks, says report

Of the 28 X accounts identified by TTP, 18 were verified after April 1, 2023. (Representative Image)

According to an investigation conducted by The Tech Transparency Project (TTP), social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, is letting known terrorist groups pay for subscriptions and verifications.

The report says that the platform has taken payments from accounts that belong to Hezobollah leaders, state-run media from Iran and Russia, and Houthi groups. The premium and premium+ subscriptions on X give users the much coveted blue checkmark, along with other features such as reduced ads, longer posts and much more.

"TTP’s investigation also found that some checkmark accounts associated with U.S.-sanctioned entities had ads running in the replies to their posts, raising the possibility that they could get a cut of that ad revenue," the report said.

Of the 28 X accounts identified by TTP, 18 were verified after April 1, 2023. 10 were legacy accounts and advertising was found in 19 of the 28 accounts.

X responded to the report by saying the platform has a "robust and secure approach in place for our monetization features, adhering to legal obligations, along with independent screening by our payments providers."

X has a robust and secure approach in place for our monetization features, adhering to legal obligations, along with independent screening by our payments providers. Several of the accounts listed in the Tech Transparency Report are not directly named on sanction lists, while… https://t.co/jgEzkNcFqj

— Safety (@Safety) February 14, 2024