exe will soon add identity verification
Platform X appears to be developing new identity verification features after several months of impersonation paused the company's paid verification plans.
The platform is now developing an additional verification feature that will require users to upload a copy of their government-issued ID card and take a selfie, according to screenshots shared by researcher Nima Oji.
Earlier this month, Augie spotted an identity verification badge via Elon Musk's account, while now it comes with an in-app message detailing how the feature works, suggesting an official launch is imminent.
The message text: “Verify your account by providing government-issued ID. This process usually takes about 5 minutes,” which explains that users need to provide a photo of their ID and a photo.
X appears to have partnered with third-party hobby verification company Au10tix for this feature. The description indicates that the information included for verification can be seen by Au10tix Plus EXE.
X keeps ID photos and biometric data for up to 30 days and uses the information for safety and security purposes, such as preventing impersonation.
Au10tix states that the verification process takes 8 seconds, is partially human-free, and is the first technology of its kind to detect synthetic fraud patterns worldwide. The company has previously worked with companies such as Google, PayPal, and Uber.
The feature indicates that X is looking for new ways to combat impersonation across its platform, which is currently offering a verification badge to anyone who pays for an X Premium (formerly Twitter Blue) subscription.
The company does not perform identity checks, though it has implemented some safeguards, such as the Verified Institutions feature.
However, some impersonators still manage to sneak in. Verification has also been exploited by a number of scammers, particularly crypto scammers, who use the extra visibility that comes with an X Premium subscription to raise their posts.
It's not clear if adding optional identity checks will solve these issues, but it might make some scammers and impersonators a little easier to spot.