Twitter CEO responds to EU claim that paid checkmarks deceive users

Twitter/X CEO Linda Yaccarino has responded after EU commissioner Thierry Breton issued a complaint about the company’s verified checkmark system.

On July 11, 2024, Breton issued a formal complaint against Twitter/X that hit out at the company’s verified checkmark system.

After Elon Musk purchased the platform in October 2022, the tech mogul changed the pre-existing verification method from an application to having to subscribe to the platform’s premium service.

“First, X designs and operates its interface for the “verified accounts” with the “Blue checkmark”in a way that does not correspond to industry practice and deceives users,” it reads.

European Commission

“Since anyone can subscribe to obtain such a ‘verified’ status, it negatively affects users’ ability to make free and informed decisions about the authenticity of the accounts and the content they interact with. There is evidence of motivated malicious actors abusing the ‘verified account’ to deceive users.”

He also posted the news on Twitter/X, saying that they will “issue fines and require significant changes” if they can prove that paid verified checkmarks does in fact decieve users.

Just hours after being posted, CEO Linda Yaccarino replied to the claims and says the company stands with the current verified system.

“A democratized system, allowing everyone across Europe to access verification, is better than just the privileged few being verified. We stand with everyone on X and in Europe who believes in the open flow of information and supports innovation,” she said.

The complaint also hits out at Twitter/X’s advertising, saying that the website doesn’t comply with the EU’s “required transparency on advertising” as it doesn’t provide a way to search through all of the platform’s current ads.

This news comes just a week after rumors surfaced that Twitter/X may remove the retweet and like buttons from the app’s timeline.