Elon Musk's Free Premium Plan Pushes Unintended Blue Checkmarks on X

Several X users have reported receiving the coveted blue checkmark next to their handles, despite not subscribing to any paid X tier. Musk's announcement last week promised free Premium memberships to accounts with over 2,500 verified followers and free Premium Plus memberships for those with over 5,000.

Traditionally, the verified symbol on X was reserved for celebrities, politicians, and public figures. However, after the introduction of paid verification, it became accessible to anyone purchasing a Premium membership. Previously, verified users who didn't pay lost their checkmarks, but Musk intervened in some cases, leading to inconsistencies.

Now, many influential X accounts with large followings are seeing the return of their blue checkmarks, regardless of their preference. Users granted verification under Musk's latest initiative received a notification message.

Users have reported receiving the blue checkmark verification badge without requesting it or subscribing to any paid X tiers. Musk's intervention further extended verification to accounts with over a million followers, including those of deceased individuals. Now, influential X accounts with substantial followings are being automatically verified, regardless of their preference.

According to a screenshot shared by Peter Kafka of Business Insider, X users who received verification under the recent scheme were greeted with the following message.