X, formerly known as Twitter, has introduced government ID-based account verification exclusively for its paid users. This measure aims to combat impersonation and provide these users with certain advantages, including “prioritized support.”
To implement this system, the social network has partnered with Au10tix, an Israel-based provider of identity verification solutions. During the ID verification process, a pop-up notification informs users that Au10tix may store their data for up to 30 days.
It’s important to note that while X offers ID verification in numerous countries, it is not available in the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA), and the United Kingdom. This restriction likely arises from the stringent data protection laws governing these regions.
However, the benefits of ID-based verification on X currently appear limited. The company has indicated that it may use this information to potentially restrict access to certain content based on the user’s age as derived from their ID.
X emphasizes its focus on account authentication to prevent impersonation and hints at exploring additional measures to ensure users have access to age-appropriate content while safeguarding the platform against spam and malicious accounts.
Users who undergo ID verification will receive a badge indicating that their government ID has been verified, but this information is only visible when clicking on the blue checkmark on the profile page. Additionally, X mentions that verified users will receive “prioritized support from X Services,” although the specifics of this benefit remain unclear.
In the future, X plans to expedite the review process for awarding checkmarks to users who verify their IDs. Verified users will also be able to make frequent changes to their names, usernames, or profile photos without losing their checkmarks.
It’s worth noting that ID-based verification is currently offered exclusively to paid users, which may seem ironic considering X’s goal of reducing impersonation and spam. In April, Twitter discontinued its legacy verification program and removed checkmarks from accounts, only to reinstate them for select accounts due to user demand.
Last month, the social network updated its privacy policy to state its ability to collect users’ biometric data, educational history, and job history. X has cited this as a measure to tie user accounts to real individuals, fight impersonation attempts, and enhance platform security.
