Coverage dated April 3, 2024

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

Headline from WFMZ Allentown

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

WFMZ Allentown's own description from its feed. We collect headlines and these descriptions, not full articles; read the original reporting below.

Earlier updates in this story

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Reports & sources

19 articles, oldest first.

  1. NBC News

    Blue check marks reappear on some large X accounts (opens NBC News)

    Published

    NBC News's feed description

    Almost a year since blue check marks disappeared from some large, influential accounts on X (formerly Twitter), they have started to return.

  2. WFMZ Allentown

    Free blue checks are back for some accounts on Elon Musk's X. Not everyone is happy about it (opens WFMZ Allentown)

    Published

    WFMZ Allentown's feed description

    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

  3. Rolling Stone

    Elon Musk Restores Blue Checks on Twitter for Popular Users, Much to Their Dismay (opens Rolling Stone)

    Published

    Rolling Stone's feed description

    Elon Musk has implemented a plan to give free Premium accounts to popular X users.

  4. CNN

    Elon Musk’s X is back to giving out free blue checks. It’s no surprise they were a tough sell (opens CNN)

    Published

    CNN's feed description

    It appears that Elon Musk has finally (mostly) given up on trying to make paid blue checks on X a thing.

  5. Triblive

    Free blue checks are back for some accounts on Elon Musk's X — not everyone is happy about it (opens Triblive)

    Published

    Triblive's feed description

    NEW YORK — Elon Musk’s social platform X has begun restoring complimentary blue checks for some of its users, the latest unexpected shift to cause a lot of confusion on the platform. For years, Twitter’s blue checks mirrored verification badges that are common on social media, largely reserved for c…

  6. Washington Times

    X restores blue checks to popular users (opens Washington Times)

    Published

    Washington Times's feed description

    Some users on X woke up Thursday to find their verification blue check marks miraculously restored, thanks to a new policy that provides X Premium to popular users.

  7. Engadget

    X is giving blue checks to people with more than 2,500 Premium followers (opens Engadget)

    Published

    Engadget's feed description

    Last night, several prominent journalists posted (complained in many cases) about unexpectedly regaining their verified blue checks on Elon Musk's X platform.

  8. Philadelphia Inquirer

    Elon Musk’s X, formerly Twitter, restores blue checks to influential accounts (opens Philadelphia Inquirer)

    Published

    Philadelphia Inquirer's feed description

    It appears to be a bid to attract or retain popular accounts as X faces increasing competition from Meta’s Threads and other text-based social platforms.

  9. New York Post

    Blue checks strangely appearing on X accounts: ‘I would NEVER pay for this’ (opens New York Post)

    Published

    New York Post's feed description

    Elon Musk’s X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, has begun restoring complimentary blue checks for some of its users, the latest unexpected shift to cause a lot of confusion on the platform.

  10. The Boston Globe

    Free blue checks are back for some accounts on Elon Musk’s X. Not everyone is happy about it. (opens The Boston Globe)

    Published

    The Boston Globe's feed description

    The platform formerly known as Twitter has begun restoring complimentary blue checks for some of its users, the latest unexpected shift to cause a lot of confusion on the platform.

  11. Variety

    Elon Musk Restores Blue Checks on X for ‘Influential’ Users, Some of Whom Clarify They ‘Would Never Pay for This’ (opens Variety)

    Published

    Variety's feed description

    Elon Musk's X, formerly known as Twitter, has restored blue check marks to popular users seemingly overnight.

  12. Gizmodo

    Elon Musk Punishes Popular X Users With Blue Checkmarks (opens Gizmodo)

    Published

    Gizmodo's feed description

    X gave out thousands of free blue checkmarks to influential users, again, but it's not the status symbol it was two years ago.

  13. Deadline

    ‘X’ Restores Free Blue Checks For Those With Large Followings (opens Deadline)

    Published

    Deadline's feed description

    Free blue checkmarks have been restored, and some are not happy.

Identical headlines usually mean shared wire copy. They are counted as separate articles but are not independent confirmation.

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