Free blue checks are back for some accounts on Elon Musk’s X. Not everyone is happy about it

By WYATTE GRANTHAM-PHILIPS
AP Business Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — Elon Musk’s X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, has started restoring complimentary blue checks to some of its users. That’s caused confusion online. Last year, X began removing the verification badges from users who do not pay for the platform’s new Premium subscription — stripping checkmarks from an array of celebrities and other prominent accounts. But on Wednesday night and Thursday morning, numerous users reported seeing the blue checks return or appear for the first time despite not paying for them. Musk, who bought the platform for $44 billion back in October 2022, said last week that all X accounts with more than 2,500 verified subscriber followers would get Premium features — which includes the blue check — for free going forward.