Back when blue ticks on Twitter were something you had to apply for, they were a fairly sought after feature. Then Elon Musk took over, made users pay $8 to get one, and they became a frequent target of memes.

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The situation has apparently become so grim that X has now rolled out a previously leaked feature that allows paid subscribers to hide their verification badge from other users.

Credit: help.twitter.com

"As a subscriber, you can choose to hide your checkmark on your account," reads the feature's description in the Help Center. "The checkmark will be hidden on your profile and posts. The checkmark may still appear in some places and some features could still reveal you have an active subscription. Some features may not be available while your checkmark is hidden. We will continue to evolve this feature to make it better for you."

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For subscribers to Twitter Blue, the "Hide your blue checkmark" option is visible in the "Profile customization" page in your Account Settings.

Given that Musk was initially selling the idea of a blue check as bringing "power to the people", it feels a little ironic that he's now rolled out an option to hide the very thing he was suggesting people give him money for. Then again, with ad revenue 50 percent down, abrupt brand overhauls and the ongoing lack of clarity over account suspensions and reinstatements, maybe we shouldn't be surprised.