X has once again accepted the payments of people associated with terrorist groups and other entities subject to American sanctions, according to a new report by Tech Transparency Project (TTP). According to the report, X not only accepted payments in exchange for its premium service, but in some cases provided an “idle” badge.
The report wonders once again if X complies with American sanctions which restrict the ability of companies to do business with individuals and entities that have been considered a threat of security. Last year, the TTP published which identified more than two dozen audited accounts which were affiliated with sanctioned groups, including Hezbollah leaders and accounts associated with Houthis in Yemen. Many of these control brands were then dismissed, X promising to “maintain a safe, secure and compliant platform”.
But some of these accounts have simply “put back” to the premium service of X or created new accounts, according to the report, which is based on research between November 2024 and April 2025. “The new TTP survey found a range of blue pig accounts for accounts with the United States American band, several alumni have been restricted or deleted by the report on the premium or created new accounts after their former Deleted. “In addition, some accounts were” checked “, which means that X carried out an additional examination to confirm their identity.”
The report once again highlights the verified accounts associated with the members of Hezbollah, including one of its founders, as well as the Houthi officials who “use heavy X for messaging and propaganda”. The son of the Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi, whose story has already been suspended, also, like Raghad Saddam Hussein al-Tikriti, one of the daughters of Saddam Hussein. Both have been under sanctions for more than a decade.
X did not respond to a request for comments on the report. In response to last year’s report, the company it “would take measures if necessary”. However, it is not clear if the company has changed one of its practices concerning which can pay premium subscriptions.
“If a small team can use X’s public research tools to identify these accounts, it is difficult to know why a company of several billion dollars cannot do the same,” said Michelle Kuppersmith, executive director of Campaign for accountability, the supervisory group that executes TTP in a press release. “It is one thing to allow terrorists to have a voice on the platform; This is another entirely to allow them to pay a more efficient megaphone. ”
