Top X users can get free blue checkmarks

Musk promised last week that those with more than 2,500 verified followers will be the first to receive free blue verification check marks. A number of people have reported that their profile now has blue checkmarks again this week. When the blue tick returned to their profile, a number of individuals became confused. Usually users must pay for X's premium monthly subscription to receive a blue badge. Additionally, the company notified some people of the change. When Musk assumed control of X in 2022, all blue check marks were eliminated.

As X's blue check has also evolved into what some argue is a signal of support for the platform's new ownership and subscription model, a few other accounts even shared instructions on how to get their newly-placed blue checks removed through settings changes.

In posts about the blue checks this week, some users shared a notification they received on the platform that said they were getting the free Premium subscription "as an influential member of the community on X". Multiple users had also received verification status that they did not pay for or request.

It's a change of strategy for Musk, who has criticized old Twitter's decision to hand out the checkmarks to prominent accounts. Musk called that strategy a "lords and peasants" system, and removed all legacy blue checkmarks shortly after taking over the company, requiring people to pay for them instead.

Beyond blue checks, X has faced user and advertiser pushback amid ongoing concerns about content moderation as well as the spread of misinformation and hate speech on the platform.