X will introduce govt ID verification to receive a check mark, as per the reports. (REUTERS)

Elon Musk’s X Company Requiring Government ID Verification From Users

Adriana MaraisAugust 22, 23 Elon Musk, Twitter

X, previously known as Twitter, has recently undergone numerous changes, including the implementation of strict measures by its billionaire owner Elon Musk. Musk, who is also the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, announced on Friday that the platform will no longer have a blocking feature, as he believes it is illogical to block public posts and instead advocates for a more effective mute option. Additionally, reports suggest that the microblogging platform will introduce another contentious feature, requiring users to provide a government ID for verification, further displeasing its users.

State ID in X

According to reports, the Musk-owned platform is said to be testing a feature that requires users to upload a government-issued ID and a live selfie for verification. The first mention of this feature came in March, when Twitter was said to be working on bringing government ID. The reported feature is currently only in the testing phase and was passed by independent app researcher and blogger Nima Owji.

In X’s post, Owji revealed, “#X is still working on ID. Upload a photo of your ID and take a live selfie,” while also posting a screenshot of the in-app verification process instructions. According to details, the feature will be rolled out in partnership with identity verification company Au10tix. Users must agree that The X will retain their ID photos and biometrics for up to 30 days, reportedly requires a working and unobstructed camera, and users will need to take a photo of their official ID as well as a live selfie.

According to a Mashable report, this feature is being introduced to verify a person’s authenticity and address AI bots and impersonation issues on the platform. Currently, the verification process involves purchasing an X Premium subscription (formerly Twitter Blue), but it does not require any authentication. If this feature is enabled, users will need to go through an Authority ID verification process to be verified and receive a check mark.