Elon Musk is at it again, this time with a new tactic to attract users to X Premium subscriptions. It’s not entirely new, though, as Musk seems to have reinvented the original purpose of the blue check. 

If you have cultivated a loyal following on X, you’ll enjoy X Premium for free, with the condition that over 2,500 of your followers are paying subscribers. In case a whopping 5,000 verified accounts are following you, you get the higher-tier X Premium+.

This move has sparked a heated debate among X users, as seen in the comments section underneath the official announcement tweet. Some see it as a savvy marketing strategy, capitalizing on the allure of the blue checkmark to attract new subscribers. Critics, however, fear it creates a social pressure cooker, raising ethical concerns about essentially “buying” a status symbol.

One thing’s for sure: The drama surrounding X continues under Musk’s leadership, despite him no longer being CEO. 

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