A new investigation by the Tech Transparency Project has uncovered a troubling truth: Elon Musk’s social media platform X is accepting subscription payments from individuals and groups labeled as terrorists by the US government.
This includes high-profile names like an Al-Qaeda adviser, a Hezbollah founder, the leader of an Iraqi militia accused of targeting US troops, and senior officials from the Houthi rebel group.
The Investigation’s Key Findings
The Tech Transparency Project found that X (formerly Twitter) has been collecting subscription fees from accounts tied to groups like Al-Qaeda, Hezbollah, Hamas, Houthis, and various militias in Syria and Iraq. These groups are officially listed as terrorist organizations by the US government.
What’s worse: many of these accounts have the “ID verified” label, meaning X accepted a government ID and selfie from these users.
Subhi Tufayli, a founder of Hezbollah and a long-time US-sanctioned individual, reportedly holds a blue tick and has been posting videos to his large following since late 2023.
Meanwhile, several senior Houthi officials have bought premium checkmarks even after X removed some badges last year following earlier reports.
Some of these accounts also actively use X’s features to fundraise, via tipping buttons or cryptocurrency links, turning the platform into a possible money channel for terrorist groups.
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X’s Rules and Reality
Officially, X’s rules say that users under US sanctions can’t access premium features. The Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) bars American companies from doing business with sanctioned individuals or groups — but this policy seems to be ignored or poorly enforced by X.
In response to the initial report last year, X removed many of these verified badges and suspended some accounts. But within weeks, the same accounts had re-bought their blue ticks and continue using premium features.
Meanwhile, Elon Musk, who also leads the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in the Trump administration, criticized the Treasury for “lacking basic controls” to prevent payments reaching terrorist groups. That’s rich, considering X’s ongoing issues.
This isn’t just a tech story — it’s about security and ethics. Allowing terrorist groups to pay for verification and premium services on a major social media platform is like leaving the gates open at a high-security prison.
It raises questions about the platform’s oversight, compliance with US law, and the bigger picture of how tech platforms handle dangerous content and users.
Tech watchdogs like the Tech Transparency Project keep shining light on these gaps. Meanwhile, users should stay informed and cautious.
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