"Twitter's Controversial Return of Blue Checks for Influential Users"
Elon Musk's X, formerly Twitter, has restored blue verification badges to influential accounts with over 2,500 followers, as part of a bid to attract or retain popular users amidst increasing competition from Meta's Threads and other social platforms. The move comes after Musk controversially removed verification badges from most users last year, reserving them for paying subscribers. While some users welcomed the change, others were not pleased, and the significance of the blue badge has shifted dramatically under Musk's ownership. As X faces competition and backlash, Meta's Threads has surged as an alternative, and Meta is testing cash bonuses for engaging content creators.