X still has a verified bot issue – this time they came for the TechCrunch authors

This week while scrolling on X, Previously Twitter, I REMARK that I had republished A series of TechCrunch articles. Except, wait, No, I hadn't done it. 

But someone other using My name had. I clicked on THE profile, And there was another Rebecca Bellan, using THE even default And on your mind Pictures as My real profile: Me on the scene has TechCrunch Disturb 2022 And side eye Chloe, respectively. THE biography read, “@Techcrunch senior journalist | journalist," And he had THE location together has NEW YORK, Or I am Currently base. THE account was created In Can 2024.

Maybe most surprising After realize that someone — WHO? A a robot ?! — had created A copycat account of Me was THE do that they had ostensibly paid has TO DO SO, as highlighted by THE little blue check mark following has My name.

When X was always Twitter, THE blue check mark would be to leave other users know that A profile had has been checked as A person of note. But Since Elon Musk hostile to resume, that check mark NOW means that A user has paid has less $8 by month For A prime subscription that gets them to access has longer posts, less ads, better algorithmic consideration And Grok. And while X amended nail In April And gave THE verification badge back has a few users base on number of followers, THE blue check mark could Also mean someone East A fan of Musk. Don't do it believe Me? Just check all THE zealous answer guys on any of them of Musk posts. 

Anyway, I am Neither A paid subscriber neither A fan.

I am Also not THE only A WHO was target with imitation accounts. A handle of TechCrunch journalists to have Also has been impersonated on THE platform. A few of THE accounts, including My own fake A, to have has been suspended After be reported has x. But This only tell We that X East actively aware of This problem.

And THE issue East that imitation attacks as these are SO a lot Easier has to carry out because of THE degradation of X verification system, which In fact doesn't seem has require any of them identify verification has all. Having A pay to play blue check system just begs bad actors And nation state has abuse he. 

Really, X should to have learned It is lesson by NOW. When Musk initially rolled out What was SO called Twitter Blue In November 2023, THE functionality was quickly armed has help bad actors pretend has be celebrities, companies And government civil servants. A account impersonated pharmaceutical business Eli Lily And job A fake announcement that insulin East NOW free. That Tweeter was seen millions of times Before he was deleted, And THE the company action took A hit as A result. 

Another account alleged has be basketball star Lebron James And job that he was officially ask For A trade Since THE Lakers team. Another laid as Connor McDavid And announcement that THE hockey players contract had has been bought by THE New York The islanders. 

THE accounts pretend has be TechCrunch journalists to have has been, SO far, benign. All they have do East repost content that honestly any of them A of We could to have republished anyway. This suggests that, instead that particularly malicious actors, THE accounts were likely created by robots. 

We have has been covering X Checked user robot issue For a few time. THE irony East that Musk suggested that force users has pay For verification would be In fact grass out THE the robots on THE platform, but clearly It is not THE case.  

For those WHO to have has been impersonated, You can report he has X, which will TO DO You TO DO A third party verification that implied Download Pictures of your issued by the government IDENTIFIER And A selfie. I Also request coworkers, friends And followers has report THE imitation has X on My in the name of, which can to have accelerated THE process. 

X did not answer has TechCrunch has provide comment on how a lot of It is users could In fact be robots, Why This issue East always happening, Or What THE platform East TO DO has solve he.