"TTP identified more than two dozen X accounts allegedly run by Iranian government officials, state agencies, and state-run news outlets which display a blue checkmark, indicating they have access to X's premium service. These accounts were sharing state-sponsored propaganda at a time when ordinary Iranians had no access to the internet, and their messages appeared to be artificially boosted to increase reach and engagement, which is a key aspect of X's premium service."
"But while publicly proclaiming his support of the protesters, Musk's company X appears to be profiting from the very same government officials he railed against, potentially violating US sanctions in the process, according to a new report from the Tech Transparency Project (TTP) shared exclusively with WIRED. An X Premium subscription, which is the only way to receive a blue checkmark, costs $8 a month, while a Premium+ subscription, which removes ads and boosts reach even further, costs $40 a month."
Elon Musk publicly supported Iranian protesters and provided free Starlink access during a nationwide internet blackout. Simultaneously, X appears to have allowed and profited from dozens of accounts allegedly run by Iranian government officials, state agencies, and state-run news outlets that displayed blue checkmarks and accessed premium features. Those accounts shared state-sponsored propaganda while ordinary Iranians lacked internet access, and their messages appeared to be artificially boosted to increase reach and engagement. Paid subscriptions that confer verification and boosting start at $8 monthly, with enhanced Premium+ features costing $40 monthly. Critics say monetizing such accounts risks undermining US sanctions.
Read at WIRED
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