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- X— formerly known as Twitter — is now letting Blue subscribers hide once coveted "blue checks."
- Non-subscribed users have mocked "blue check" accounts for paying for the Blue service.
- Elon Musk called Twitter's previous verification process a "lords & peasants system."
X, the site formerly known as Twitter, is now letting its Blue subscribers hide the once coveted verification "blue check" — the status symbol they pay $8 a month for — on their account.
X Blue, the platform's so-called "premium subscription service," allows paid users to gain a number of features on the app, including the ability to edit posts and share longer video clips. It also prioritizes subscribed users' rankings in conversations below posts and searches, effectively giving Blue subscribers more engagement with a wider audience.
But perhaps most importantly, subscribing to X Blue gives users a "blue check" mark, verifying their account.
Now, X Blue is letting subscribers hide that mark.
"As a subscriber, you can choose to hide your checkmark on your account. The checkmark will be hidden on your profile and posts. The checkmark may still appear in some places and some features could still reveal you have an active subscription. Some features may not be available while your checkmark is hidden," according to X Blue's help center.
Since Elon Musk's takeover of the site last year, he's made an effort to completely overhaul its verification process. In November, he announced the Blue subscription plan, saying Twitter's previous "lords & peasants system for who has or doesn't have a blue checkmark is bullshit."
"Power to the people! Blue for $8/month," Musk added.
But when users started making fun of accounts who had subscribed, and celebrities such as actress Lili Reinhart and author Stephen King said they wouldn't be paying for a check, X, then known as Twitter, began hiding who had paid for one.