X Removing the Ability to Hide Your Blue Checkmark

X (formally Twitter) is effectively exposing all of its ‘Premium’ subscribers by removing the ability to hide your blue checkmark.

Those who may be hiding their blue checkmark, whether out of shame or not, have begun to receive notifications stating that the ability is being removed. “The hide your checkmark feature of X Premium is going away soon,” says the notification. The social media platform is giving users the time to manage their X Premium settings before the removal.

BREAKING: #X seems to be removing the ability to hide the verification checkmark! pic.twitter.com/1Kn2OU4puj

— Nima Owji (@nima_owji) April 11, 2024

As first reported by Mashable, there doesn’t appear to be any firm reasoning behind the removal. The ability to hide a blue checkmark arrived last summer when X gave users the preferential option. Under Elon Musk’s ownership, some users wanted to gain access to the platform’s Premium features while hiding their support for the company.

The blue checkmark originally marked a verified user. However, as the company transitioned over to Musk’s hands, the blue checkmark lost its status and became a symbol for those subscribing to the $10 CAD monthly Premium service. X’s blue checkmarks are now commonly adopted by scammers, NFT grifters, and online impersonators. However, many public figures continue to don one.

Last month, X began doling out free blue checkmarks and Premium status to those who have over 2,500 verified subscriber followers. Those with over 5,000 will gain access to Premium+ for free, says Musk. Given how sudden the change regarding blue checkmarks is, one has to wonder if this new policy was the lynchpin.