Dismay as X’s most-followed accounts given blue ticks for free

Elon Musk's firm reverses policy of insisting on payment for verified status' - embarrassing some beneficiaries

Elon Musk has reversed one of his most notorious decisions since taking over X, the social network better known as Twitter, and started bestowing blue ticks on the site's most-followed users - whether they want them or not.

The entrepreneur and one-time Chief Twit" had tweeted last week that the service would grant free premium" status to any user with more than 2,500 verified subscriber follows" and accounts with more than 5,000 would get premium+". That policy is now being enacted.