Hi everybody and welcome back to another episode of the Elon Musk
Podcast. Today we have quite a complex
topic to unravel. It's a story that has just come
to the surface regarding the social media platform X,
formerly known as Twitter. Now this platform is now
allowing paid users to verify their accounts using government
ID's. And what's notable is that this
new form of identification isn't available everywhere.
Specifically, users in the European Union, the European
Economic Area, and the United Kingdom are excluded.
And why is this change even happening?
Well, ostensibly to prevent impersonation and keep the
platform secure. But there are many layers to
peel back here, including concerns over data privacy, the
influence of external companies in this process, in the
bifurcation of the user base into paid and freed categories.
Now the feature has its origins in Israel, where the company
Authentics is facilitating its new ID verification process.
Data, potentially including biometric information, will be
stored for a period of up to 30 days, raising eyebrows about
personal privacy. And here's another twist.
ID based verification is currently available only for
paid users, creating another divide in an already stratified
online space. Now let's start by looking at
how X is implementing this ID verification.
The initiative seems to be a protective measure that aims at
preventing impersonation and in the future regulating access to
age specific content. X is teaming up with Authentics
and Israeli based firm specializing in identity
verification. A pop up window will prompt
users to upload their government issued ID's and the information
collected will be stored for up to 30 days.
Now this development could explain why X recently updated
its privacy policy to include cards for biometric information,
a term that has been causing a lot of discussion lately.
Now if you go through this process, your profile report a
note saying your government ID has BeenVerified.
But there's a catch. You only see this verification
status when clicking on the blue mark on the profile.
And this makes us wonder, is this another status symbol or a
genuine measure for concrete security?
Now moving out to the benefits of the verification, what do you
really get from this? X states that users verified IDs
will get prioritized support from X services, although the
specifics of what that means are somewhat shredded in history and
the tangible benefits appear limited, especially given that
this whole mechanism is locked behind a paywall.
The service is exclusive to paid users, at least for now.
And in a similar vein, X allows their paid users to hide their
verification check marks if they choose to do so, which also
seems contradictory to the stated goal of transparency and
security. So is the platform enhancing
security or merely adding another tier of exclusivity to
its services now? Remember, Twitter, now
transformed into X, had previously discontinued its
legacy verification program. The action led to some chaos,
with top accounts losing their check marks.
But that check mark soon made its comeback, underscoring how
important it has become as a status symbol.
And when it comes to privacy, X made another change last month
that gave it the power to capture users, biometric data,
educational background, and job history.
These changes are unfolding at a time when X's parent company is
under scrutiny for its data privacy practices, adding
another layer of complexity to this verification process.
Now let's turn our gaze toward Europe, where this feature is
not yet available. X sidesteps European markets,
presumably due to stringent data protection laws.
Given this new system potentially involves the
collection and storage of sensitive personal data, it's
understandable that X would tread carefully in these
jurisdictions. But it doesn't mention that it
plans to extend this feature to Europe soon, leaving us
pondering the legal gymnastics that will be required to make
this happen. Now it's worth mentioning the
competition. There's Blue Sky.
Funded by Twitter and backed by Twitter cofounder Jack Dorsey,
which recently hit a million users, Blue Sky has adopted A
decentralized approach and aims to remain free, offering a paid
domain service as a means for users to verify their identity.
Then there's Metas Threads, which read 100 million users in
just a week after becoming available in July.
It seems the landscape of social media is witnessing interesting
developments in terms of user verification and identity
management, making X's steps even more noteworthy.
It's essential to touch on the reactions from the public and
users of the platform too. There's clear split in opinions,
as some viewing the new verification process as a
necessary step towards ensuring platform security, while others
see it as an intrusion into personal privacy.
There's a strong sentiment that the move to offer this
verification only to paid users sets a dangerous precedent.
It creates an online hierarchy and potentially marginalizes
those can't afford or choose not to opt for the paid version.
Now, Authentics involvement brings in its own set of
concerns. External companies having access
to sensitive user data and personal data has always been a
contentious issue, while Azure's users that the data is securely
stored and only kept for limited time.
Past incidents with other platforms have made users wary.
Now this partnership evolves and what it means for users, data
privacy will be crucial in determining the public's trust
in this new feature. Now, from a business standpoint,
though, X's move is strategic. The page here offers an
additional revenue stream in an age where platforms are looking
for sustainable monetization methods outside traditional
advertising, and by adding exclusive features like ID
verification to the paid, tier X is creating a premium experience
for its subscribers. But this approach begs the
question, is online safety and security a luxury only a few can
afford now? As we project into the future,
it's interesting how to how the shift will impact online
interactions. Will other platforms follow
suit, making ID verification a common feature?
Or will there be push back, leading to more decentralized
platforms where user privacy is paramount?
Additionally, as online misinformation continues to be a
significant concern, it's worth asking if ID verification play a
role in curbing the spread of fake news and ensuring more
authentic online interaction. While it's not a foolproof
solution, the biggest step in the right direction, the realm
of online identity and verification is very complex.
As platforms like X continue to adapt and change their
strategies, the balance between ensuring user security and
upholding data privacy remains delicate.
It's essential for users to stay informed and understand the
changes that directly impact them, and we conclude this
discussion. One thing's clear, the digital
world is changing and as users, we need to be proactive in
understanding these changes, in adapting accordingly.
Now thank you so much for listening to the Elon Musk
podcast today and joining me and your support.
Engagement mean the world to us. So remember, if you haven't
already hit that subscribe or follow button on your preferred
podcast platform. This pasta thing and helps us
bring more insightful topics to you.
And until next time, keep the discussions going and always
stay informed. Please take care of yourselves
and each other. I'll see you in the next one.