Platform X Allows Lawbreakers In The US To Buy Blue Ticks

Illustration using platform X (photo: dock.unsplash)

JAKARTA Tech Transparency Project (TTP), an initiative of the Campaign for Accountability organization, found accounts of lawbreakers in the US who used blue ticks on platform X.

All users of X, both individuals and groups, who want to have a blue tick must purchase a Premium or Premium Plus service. This purchase process shows that lawbreakers have financial transactions with X.

This transaction is in the spotlight because X has violated the policies they made. One of X's policies states that people who get economic sanctions or other sanctions are not allowed to buy X Premium.

"You can't buy or use Paid Services if you are not allowed to transact with US citizens based on economic sanctions, including, but not limited to sanctions imposed by the US Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Supervision or other sanctions authorities," X explained through the Buyer's Service Provisions.

From the results of TTP identification, there are about 28 accounts that get ticks. Of the dozens of accounts, 18 of them have subscribed to Premium since April last year or since the checkmark was added to the Premium X service.

Meanwhile, 10 of the 28 accounts identified are accounts that have been verified for a long time. This means that they already have a blue tick account before they are required to pay, but they maintain their ticks by subscribing.

TTP said that some of the accounts were owned by several high-ranking Hezbollah officials, political organizations that were included in the list of terrorist organizations in Australia. One of them is the Secretary General of Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah.

After TTP released the results of its investigation on Wednesday, February 14, Security X responded. They said that X always adhered to legal policies on X and screened those who bought Premium services.

For some accounts mentioned by TTP, X said they were allowed to buy Premium services because they were not mentioned in the sanctions list. However, several other accounts will be investigated because they have checkmarks without receiving any services.

Our team has reviewed the report and will take action if necessary. We are always committed to ensuring that we keep the platform safe, protected, and obedient," the X Security team said on Thursday, February 15.