Verification Explainers Added by X to Prevent EU Fines

Recently, X has introduced a comprehensive overview clarifying the new implications of checkmarks within its application. This change comes as EU investigators are actively scrutinizing the app’s modified approach to verification and evaluating whether it contravenes the EU Digital Services Act (DSA).

In the previous year, former EU Commissioner Thierry Breton publicly criticized X’s alterations to its verification system, labeling the X Premium subscription package as misleading and a violation of DSA regulations.

The EU Commission concluded that allowing users to purchase blue ticks has potentially created a new avenue for the dissemination of misinformation. The presence of a checkmark lends an air of legitimacy to user accounts, drawing from the credibility established by Twitter’s historic verification framework.

According to the EU Commission:

“Given that anyone can subscribe to obtain such a ‘verified’ status, it undermines users’ capacity to make informed and autonomous decisions regarding the authenticity of the accounts and content they engage with. There is substantiated evidence of malicious entities exploiting the ‘verified account’ feature to mislead users.”

There is indeed notable evidence of various brands being impersonated on X, complete with blue ticks corresponding to their accounts, raising concerns about the integrity of the platform.

In light of these findings, X owner Elon Musk has taken a defiant stance, asserting that X anticipates a highly publicized legal confrontation, stating that it aims for the people of Europe to discern the truth.

This perspective suggests that X is navigating a larger conspiracy narrative, yet it appears that the company is adjusting its strategy to mitigate potential financial penalties arising from the ongoing EU investigation.

According to reports from Bloomberg, X has now incorporated this new explanatory feature into the app, offering users a more detailed understanding of what the checkmarks now signify:

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As evidenced by these changes, X is actively working to diminish confusion and counter accusations of misleading its users by providing more context regarding its revised checkmark system.

Additionally, the platform has included comprehensive explainers in its Help Center that detail the complete verification requirements. However, some of these guidelines appear to contain inconsistencies.

For instance, X clarifies that:

“Accounts that receive the blue checkmark through a Premium subscription will not undergo a verification process to confirm their adherence to the previous benchmarks of being active, notable, and authentic.”

While I understand what X is attempting to convey—that the new system radically departs from the earlier Twitter verification process—the statement indicating that Premium subscribers will not be subject to a verification check seems to contradict one of the listed requirements for X Premium.

“Your account must be active within the past 30 days to qualify for X Premium.”

Thus, while accounts must demonstrate activity, it seems X is not verifying such activity?

Miscommunication appears to be a common aspect of the X user experience, as many of its Help articles still reference “Twitter,” “tweets,” and “retweets,” leading to considerable confusion. The lack of a dedicated communications department further exacerbates this issue, resulting in inconsistent messaging.

However, the primary objective of X in this situation is to furnish a more comprehensive understanding of what the verification checkmark signifies in 2025, contrasting it with its historical meaning on Twitter.

Will these efforts be sufficient to alleviate the concerns of EU investigators?

Unlikely. Elon Musk has been openly critical of the EU Commission, a stance that likely hasn’t improved relations. Additionally, any investigation will consider both historical and current compliance issues.

Should the findings indicate that X‘s updated approach to checkmarks is in violation of regulations, penalties will still be applied, irrespective of any recent changes.

The new explanatory feature might not be sufficiently transparent. The Commission could argue that the average user was not adequately informed of these changes prior to their implementation, leading to confusion within the application.

Consequently, X may need to take additional steps moving forward, which could entail sending notifications to all users to thoroughly communicate the changes to the verification process.

For reference, Meta typically communicates changes when it encounters issues with EU regulations, and this strategy seems to be effective. Nevertheless, Meta has also faced hefty fines in Europe over the last year, amounting to billions of dollars.

(As an interesting aside, Meta is also offering blue ticks, indicating it might be under similar scrutiny).

Ultimately, I remain skeptical that this new explanation will significantly mitigate concerns, yet X must take action if it aims to satisfy the EU digital authorities.