Allegations have surfaced suggesting that terrorists are acquiring verified blue checkmarks on a social media platform known as X. Notably, an account associated with Hezbollah's secretary-general was reportedly marked as 'ID-verified.'
(Photo : Anthony Bourdain via Twitter)
Acquiring Blue Checkmarks on X
Tech Transparency Project (TTP) alleges that X has been offering premium subscription services to individuals subject to US sanctions, including leaders of Hezbollah, a US-designated terrorist organization.
TTP identifies 28 accounts that obtained verification badges through Elon Musk's paid verification program, seemingly circumventing rules that explicitly prohibit their use.
These allegations prompt fresh inquiries into the rigor with which social media platforms screen users, particularly following a recent Supreme Court ruling absolving the platform of responsibility for facilitating a terrorist attack.
Among the notable names is Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Hezbollah, whose account boasts over 93,000 followers and is marked as "ID verified," indicating that the owner provided government-issued identification to Twitter.
Press TV, an Iranian state news outlet, is one of the two accounts (alongside Russia's Tinkoff Bank) identified by TTP with a gold "verified organization" checkmark. These checkmarks typically cost $1,000 a month at the time of TTP's research.
Al-Saadi Gadhafi, the son of the late Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi, is also listed as having subscribed to Elon Musk's posts for a period.
Ansarallah, also known as the Houthis, a Yemeni group, is included in the list, although their official designation as a terrorist group by the US is set to take effect later this week.
The majority of the accounts were verified following Musk's assumption of control over Twitter, during which paid verification became mandatory.
X's Response
In response to TTP's claims, The Verge reported that X's safety account contested the assertions. The statement highlighted X's rigorous approach to monetization features, including compliance with legal obligations and independent screening by payment providers.
X stated that several accounts mentioned in the Tech Transparency Report were not directly listed on sanction lists and had not received any sanctioned services, despite displaying checkmarks. X affirmed it reviewed the report and pledged to take action if necessary.
TTP countered with a follow-up thread, asserting that organizations not directly named still belonged to sanctioned entities. They questioned how these accounts obtained checkmarks without paid subscriptions.
While US businesses are prohibited from transactions with sanctioned entities, X's policies prohibit premium subscriptions for those under sanctions. TTP suggested the possibility that X gifted checkmarks to terrorist groups, which could violate bans on the contribution of goods and services.
It seems that X has since removed verification from nearly all of the accounts listed, although the two gold checkmarks still remain on the accounts of Press TV and Tinkoff Bank. TTP also highlights that one account on the list, associated with the Iran-backed militia Harakat al-Nujaba, has been banned by X.
The current question at hand revolves around whether Twitter accepted monetary payments from individuals with whom it was prohibited from engaging in financial transactions.
This issue holds growing relevance for social media platforms, which, after years of offering free access, are increasingly encouraging users to subscribe to paid services.
