Blue checkmarks on X trick users, EU claims

Paid-for ticks linked to ‘dark patterns’ in landmark investigation

The Twitter (now X) account of Elon Musk is seen on a smartphone on 21 April, 2023 in Knutsford, UK (Getty Images)

The European Union has warned X (formerly Twitter) that its blue checkmarks for verified accounts may be being used to deceive users.

An investigation into the verification system, published on Friday, also found that it could be in violation of the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA), which regulates illegal online content and disinformation.

The blue check system used to be a way to verify the authenticity of Twitter accounts that might be noteworthy or influential, such as those of celebrities, politicians and journalists. After Elon Musk bought the platform for $44 billion in October 2022, the tech billionaire overhauled the system to allow anyone willing to pay $8 per month to get a blue tick by their account name.

“Back in the day, Blue Checks used to mean trustworthy sources of information,” EU Commissioner Thierry Breton posted on Friday.

“Now with X, our preliminary view is that: they deceive users; they infringe DSA. X has now the right of defence – but if our view is confirmed we will impose fines and require significant changes.”

If found guilty, X faces a fine of up to 6 per cent of its global revenue.

According to the EU, the verification method can be linked to “dark patterns” that can be used by malicious actors to trick and mislead users.

It is the first time a major tech company has been charged under the EU’s new social media regulations since they came into force.

“In our view, X does not comply with the DSA in key transparency areas, by using dark patterns and thus misleading users, by failing to provide an adequate ad repository, and by blocking access to data for researchers,” EU competition chief Margrethe Vestager said in a statement.

“The DSA has transparency at its very core, and we are determined to ensure that all platforms, including X, comply with EU legislation.”