Campaigners allege that X accepted payment from terrorists

Elon Musk’s social media platform, X (formerly Twitter), has been accused of granting subscription perks to designated terrorist groups and other banned entities in the US, according to the Tech Transparency Project (TTP). The TTP found that X had given blue check marks to accounts associated with Hezbollah members, among others. These check marks, which were previously free, now cost $8 a month and provide benefits such as longer posts and better promotion. X has since removed some of these check marks, stating that its security measures are strong. Critics argue that charging for check marks could worsen issues of disinformation and allow impersonators on the platform. The TTP also discovered that X had provided check marks to accounts linked to Ansar Allah, also known as the Houthis, who are sanctioned in both the US and UK. The US Treasury has not yet commented on the matter. The TTP claims that X may be raising new legal issues by charging for these check marks.