X's Checkmark Policy: Fanning the Flames of Disinformation

Since its inception in 2006, X, formerly known as Twitter, has been a go-to platform for journalists seeking to interact with their audience and source information for their reporting. However, the recent transformation of the platform's checkmark policy into a paid service, X Premium, has created an alarming situation. This shift, which no longer takes into account users' activity, notability, or authenticity, has significantly complicated the task of distinguishing credible sources from impersonators or purveyors of hoaxes.

In the past, obtaining the coveted blue checkmark involved a free verification request process, demanding that accounts be "authentic, notable, and active." This criterion was applied across the board, with government officials, celebrities, activists, news organizations, and journalists more often securing the checkmarks. “The blue tick was a sign to show that these are verified users and therefore they can be trusted,” said Bettie Mbayo, a fact-checker and co-founder of Stage Media in Liberia.

Today, any—and we do mean any—user can purchase a blue checkmark for just $8 per month. This drastic policy shift has led to an alarming proliferation of false information on the platform. A study conducted by the Center for Countering Digital Hate's Quant Lab found that over one quarter (25 percent) of tweets related to major issues such as Ukraine, COVID-19, vaccines, and climate change by X Premium subscribers contained false information.

The consequences of this misinformation have spilled over into the real world, causing tangible harm. Sudan’s paramilitary force, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), had its legacy checkmark removed because they did not pay for the new model. This enabled a fake account with a blue checkmark to pose as the group and falsely claim its leader, Mohamed Dagalo, had died. This single post garnered a staggering 1.7 million views in a short period before being taken down. Eventually, the account was suspended, but the damage was done.

In another instance, several fake accounts impersonated the Kenyan news and entertainment TV channel Citizen TV Kenya. These accounts also “killed off” a living person for misinformation’s sake: Dr. SK Macharia, founder and chairman of Royal Media Services, which owns the television channel, was purported to have passed away. The misinformation spread rapidly until Citizen TV Kenya debunked it on X and Facebook, reiterating that Macharia was alive and well. Once again, the damage had been done.

The root of the problem lies in the X algorithm, which prioritizes users with X Premium. This premium service elevates users to the top of spaces, increasing their visibility when they comment or tweet. This enhanced visibility, combined with the allure of a blue checkmark and the fact that anybody can pay $8 to get one, creates a perfect storm for the propagation of misinformation—which seems to be just fine with Elon Musk, the root cause of these problems.

In the face of this escalating misinformation crisis, journalists must exercise caution and responsibility in their actions on X. Lois Ugbede, a fact-checker at Dubawa, emphasizes that “[Journalists] should avoid engaging in activism and spreading their biases, as it could dent their credibility, which is a core value.”

 Ugbede urges journalists to verify their information before sharing it in a public space. “People share tweets because they feel the information contained in the tweet is true,” she said. “One way this can be checked is for journalists to know the source of the information and have networks…where they can get information.” Otherwise, journalists will propagate this problem indefinitely.

To further combat misinformation, journalists can employ a range of verification tools: like Spoonbill, Pipl.com, and AI Detector. These tools help identify information shared by X users, often revealing the authenticity of the account and exposing the individuals behind the tweets. They can also provide valuable information about the creation date and location of the accounts, aiding in the determination of whether an account is a parody or a trusted source.

X's shift to a paid checkmark policy, with little regard for authenticity and notability, has opened the floodgates to misinformation. The consequences of this policy change are already evident in the real-world harm it has caused. Journalists in particular must exercise caution and responsibility in navigating this new landscape. As long as bad actors are present and have the power to control the spread of information, misinformation will be a worldwide and internet-wide problem.