'Spoiler: it’s business as usual': X explains new meaning of blue checkmark
Prior to Elon Musk’s takeover of Twitter, which he subsequently redubbed X, verified accounts with checkmarks on the platform were authentic or deemed notable enough to have one. However, this was changed so that anyone who paid for it could get one. File photo: Yui Mok/PA
Social media giant X has said it has stopped referring to blue checkmark users as “verified” in the wake of a €120m fine dished out by Europe last year, but has claimed that “spoiler: it’s business as usual”.
After it was given the hefty fine by the European Commission and told to take action to bring itself into compliance with the law, a notice on the X website said users in Europe may have noticed it is now referring to blue checkmark users as “premium” users.
“This change comes courtesy of the European Commission’s Decision of December 5, 2025, which concluded that X’s blue checkmark misled users and breached the European Digital Services Act,” it said.
“X is appealing this decision in court but, in the meantime, this page explains more about what the blue checkmark means and how to get it.” It then clarified that its change still means “business as usual”.
Prior to Elon Musk’s takeover of Twitter, which he subsequently redubbed X, verified accounts with checkmarks on the platform were authentic or deemed notable enough to have one. However, this was changed so that anyone who paid for it could get one.
In December, the European Commission issued its fine to X which prompted fury from its owner Mr Musk which called for the EU to be abolished shortly afterwards.
In a first-of-its-kind sanction, the bloc had fined X for breaches of its flagship online content laws over the “deceptive design” of the blue checkmark on the platform, its lack of transparency around advertising and its failure to provide public data to researchers.
“On X, anyone can pay to obtain the ‘verified' status without the company meaningfully verifying who is behind the account, making it difficult for users to judge the authenticity of accounts and content they engage with,” the commission said.
While the EU Digital Services Act does not mandate that users are verified, it prohibits platforms from saying they are such when no verification has taken place.
It told X it had 60 working days to provide information on how it would stop breaching its obligations over the “deceptive” checkmarks and failure to comply could lead to further penalties.
In March, Bloomberg reported that X had submitted proposed remedies for the issue, with the European Commission set to study the proposals.
On its site, X said the blue checkmark means the account has an active subscription to X Premium and meets its eligibility requirements. It does not mean that the account has been ID verified, it said.
It added that the eligibility criteria for the blue checkmark are that the account has a display name and profile photo, must have been active in the last 30 days and must have a confirmed phone number.
Meanwhile, it said that accounts must have “no signs of being misleading or deceptive”, “no signs of engaging in platform manipulation or spam” and no recent changes to profile photo, display name or username.
On separate issues, X has taken cases in the Irish High Court against regulator Coimisiún na Meán over online safety laws.
A European Commission spokesperson said: "The changes announced by X go in the right direction and show that the company is engaging constructively.
"This also shows that the Digital Service Act and our enforcement actions work. They bring real changes and increased transparency for users in the European Union.
"This follows the Commission’s non-compliance decision against X from December. We keep assessing the implementation of all measures."
They concluded: "The Commission will wait for the Opinion of the Board of Digital Services Coordinators before adopting a final decision."
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