Elon Musk, the CEO of X, formerly known as Twitter, has made a significant reversal in the platform’s policy by granting blue ticks to its most-followed users for free. This decision has sparked dismay and embarrassment among some beneficiaries.

Last week, Musk announced on Twitter that X would offer free ‘premium’ status to users with more than 2,500 ‘verified subscriber follows’ and ‘premium+’ status to accounts with over 5,000 followers. This policy has now been put into effect.

The paid-for services offer various benefits, including fewer adverts, enhanced visibility in the site’s algorithmic curation, access to X’s ‘anti-woke’ AI chatbot Grok, and priority for replies. However, the most prominent perk is the blue tick next to the user’s profile, which was once a symbol of ‘verification’ for prominent users but was later opened up to any subscriber of the paid-for tier, then known as Twitter Blue.

In an attempt to drive Blue subscriptions, Musk’s company began removing ‘legacy’ checkmarks a year ago, with the aim of encouraging the platform’s most dedicated users to sign up for the paid-for service, thereby boosting revenue and the credibility of the premium accounts.

However, this move has stirred controversy and raised questions about the value and exclusivity of the blue tick, which was previously associated with verified identity. The decision to grant it for free to the most-followed accounts has led to disappointment and awkwardness among some of the recipients.

It remains to be seen how this shift in policy will impact the dynamics of the platform and the perceptions of its users. As X continues to evolve under Musk’s leadership, the future of the blue tick and its significance within the social network remains uncertain.